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T/iis  fooofc  must  not 
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With  Compliments  of  the  Compilers 


[For  summary,  see  address  before  the  Press  Association  at 
Charlotte,  pages  70  to  78.] 


HISTORY 


— of 

The  Canalization  of  the  Cape  Fear  River 

Being  a  compilation 
— of— 

Pertinent  Publications  in  the  Fayetteville  Observer 
from  1900  to  1915 

-by- 
Edward  J.  Hale,  (3rd),  Frederick  Toomer  Hale 
and  Thomas  Hill  Hale 

Fayetteville,     -^     -     -     -     N.  C. 


Qs:^ 


Judge  Printing  Company 
1917 


'T^HIS  publication  is  dedicated 
to  the  Honorable  Walter 
Clark,  Chief  Justice  of  North 
Carolina,  the  earliest  advocate  of 
Major  Hale's  Projecft,  by  his 
respedtful  friends,  the  compilers. 


(7- 

ro 
ft) 


PREFACE. 


The  history  of  the  Canalizat^-on  of  the  Cape  Fear  River,  whose 
construction  is  now  nearing  completion,  is  best  learned  from  the  ar- 
ticles on  the  subject  which  have  been  published  from  time  to  time 
in  the  local  newspaper.  As  the  details  of  the  struggle,  which,  af- 
ter seventeen  years,  has  resulted  so  favorably,  would  fill  many 
volumes,  only  such  documents  are  reproduced  here  as  tended  to  be 
decisive  of  the  fight  or  as  serve  to  illustrate  the  methods  employed 
in  the  promotion  of  the  project.  The  same  arguments,  io  a  general 
way  it  may  be  added,  were  necessarily  addressed  to  the  different 
bodi'es  appealed  to;  and  justice  to  each  of  them  requires  that  the 
text  of  this  publication  should  suffer  the  resultant  blemish  of  repeti- 
tion in  several  instances.  Under  the  circumstances,  the  reader  is 
^sked  to  make  allowance  accordingly. 


CONTENTS 

I. 

Launching  of  the  Projedl  and  Report  of  its  Adoption. 

II. 

Hi^ory    of    the    Projedt — The    Theory    of    the  Normal    Port 
Pp.  8-11. 

III. 
Thanks  to  the  Officials  who  Helped  Us ...  ._   Page  1  5 

IV. 
Some  of  the  Early  Steps , Page  22 

V. 

The  Final  Presentation  of  the  Case  Before  Congress  __  Page  27 

VI. 
Visit  of  the  Waterways  Commission  to  Fay etteville-.. Page  79 

VII. 
Popular  Subscription  in  Aid  of  the  Project Page  83 

VIII. 
Appreciation  of  the  Work ^^  ^,^,  ^__   Page  85 


I. 

LAUNCHING  OF  THE  PROJECT,  AND  RE- 
PORT OF  ITS  ADOPTION. 


(From   Fayetteville   Observer,   Sept   8,    1899.) 
CANALIZATION    OF   THE   CAPE    FEAR. 

We  do  not  know  how  nearly  the  jetty  system  which  the  Gov- 
ernment has  been  applying  to  the  improvement  of  the  Cape  Fear 
River  between  Wilmington  and  Fayetteville  for  some-  years  past,  ap- 
proaches what  would  be  the  cost  of  canalizing  the  river  if  that 
should  be  undertaken — we  have  no  idea  at  all — but  we  do  know  that 
it  does  not  begin  to  approach  it  in  results. 

The  improvement  of  waterways  is  carried  on  on  a  much  larger 
and  more  complete  scale  in  Europe  than  with  us.  The  conditions  of 
life  are  very  much  harder  in  those  old  countries  than  in  this  com- 
pai'atively  virgin  land,  and  the  incentive  to  make  every  edge  cut  is 
correspondingly  greater  there.  But  conditions  are  constantly  grow- 
ing harder  with  us  as  our  population  becomes  denser  and  more 
"civilized,"  and  we  believe  that  the  subject  of  the  canalization  of 
the  Cape  Fear  is  one  to  which  serious  thought  may  be  given  with 
a  view  to  bringing  it  to  the  attention  of  Congress.  Mr.  Thomas, 
our  member,  is  very  anxious  to  do  everything  in  his  power  for  his 
constituents.  He  will  bring  up  the  matter  of  the  restoration  to 
Fayetteville  of  a  United  States  arsenal,  and,  no  doubt,  would  take 
up  this  matter  if  found  to  be  feasible. 

If  the  canalization  project  should  turn  out  to  be  capable  of  ac- 
complishment, so  that  we  might  have  a  uniform  depth  of,  say,  six 
feet*  of  water  between  here  and  Wilmington  the  year  round,  the 
completion  of  such  work  would  give  an  impetus  to  the  growth  of 
Fayetteville   which   would   be   phenomenal. 

By  the  canalization  of  rivers  we  mean  such  work  as  has  been 
done  on  the  Weser  in  Germany,  on  the  Clyde  and  Tees  in  Scotland, 
and  on  the  Seine  in  France.  We  do  not  know  what  may  be  the  state 
of  the  work  on  those  rivers  now,  no  doubt  far  in  advance  of  their 


*Note:  Changed  to  8  feet. 


Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


condition  at  tlie  time  we  are  gomg  to  speak  of.  But  in  1890,,  at  tlie 
International  Congress  on  Internal  Navigation,  Herr  Franzius,  of 
Germany,  Voisin  Bey,  (chief  engineer  of  the  Suez  Canal),  and  Mr. 
Vernon  Harcourt,  of  England,  all  engineers  of  the  first  order,  gave 
minute  descriptions  of  improvements  on  the  rivers  mentioned,  and 
others,  which  had  been  effected  by  a  system  of  longitudinal  dykes — 
narrowing  the  channel  and  producing  the  scouring  effect  which 
Captain  Eads  accomplished  with  his  sunken  wicker  "mattresses" 
in  the  Mississippi  below  New  Orleans,  years  ago — that  were  aston- 
ishing. Cross  dykes,  where  needed,  and  sluices  for  high  water  and 
storage  dams  for  low  water,  are  details  of  the  general  system  fa- 
miliar to  engineers. 

•Herr  Franzius  said  (at  the  time  we  allude  to)  that  between 
Bremen  and  Bremerhaven  the  Weser  had  been  greatly  deepened 
and  when  the  work  was  completed  (in  four  years  more)  it  would  be 
navigable  at  all  seasons  at  a  un.form  depth. 

The  matter  Is  worth  looking  into,  now  that  we  have  undertaken 
to  put  Fayetteville  in  the  front  rank  of  towns. 


REPORT   TO   THE    PEOPLE   OF    FAYETTEVILLE. 
(From  Fayetteville  Daily  Observer,  June  27,  1910.) 

IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE   UPPER  CAPE  FEAR. 

To  the  People  of  Fayetteville: 

The  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  an  item  authorizing 
the  Secretary  of  War  to  enter  into  a  contract,  or  contracts,  for  the 
completion  of  the  project  for  canalizing  the  Upper  Cape  Fear  river 
so  as  to  secure  a  minimum  depth  of  eight  feet  from  Wilmington  to 
Fayetteville  throughout  the  year,  at  a  cost  of  $615,000*  in  accord- 
ance with  the  plan  recommended  by  the  Board  of  Engineers  of  the 
U.  S.  Army,  was  sent  to  the  President  on  Friday,  June  10.  The 
Constitution  allows  the  President  ten  days,  exclusive  of  Sundays, 
in  which  to  veto  a  bill  if  disapproved  by  him,  and  provides  that  it 
shall  become  law  if  not  returned  with  his  disapproval  within  that 
time,  if  congress  be  still  in  session.  The  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill 
of  1910  has  therefore  been  a  law  since  Wednesday  last,  June  22.  As 
It  was  understood  that  the  President  intended  to  sign  the  bill  before 


♦Increased  to  $1,031,000  in  1914,  in  accordance  with  Major 
Stickles'  annual  report  issued  August  11,  1913.  The  act  of  1902 
called  for  $1,350,000. 


the  Cape  Fear  River 


Congress  adjourned,  it  was  not  thought  to  be  necessary  to  make 
mention  of  the  fact  recited. 

As  I  have  been  entrusted  by  you  with  the  conduct  of  this  project 
from  its  inception,  and  then,  in  a  formal  way,  by  resolution  of  tlie 
public  meeting  held  on  November  15,  1900,  it  has  been  my  duty  to 
report  to  you  the  progress  of  its  promotion  from  time  to  time.  At 
the  end  of  something  over  ten  years,  I  have  the  honor  to  report  the 
successful  conclusion  of  our  efforts,  as  above  recited.  At  the  same 
time,  I  desire  to  return  my  heartiest  thanks  to  the  committees  which 
have  assisted  me — those  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  of  the 
Citizens'  meeting  of  1900,  as  well  as  that  of  the  Upper  Cape  Fear 
Improvement  Association  successor  of  the  latter — and  to  that  noble 
band  of  gentlemen,  comprising  our  citizens  generally,  who  have  pat- 
riotically and,  in  many  instances,  generously  assisted  me. 


Copies  of  letters  of  thanks  to  the  officials  who  have  so  intelli- 
gently taken  part  in  causing  our  desires  to  be  expressed  in  law, 
which  I  have  felt  at  liberty  to  write  to  them,  and  which  go  out  by 
today's  mail,  will  be  published  tomorrow  for  your  information. 
With  great  respect,  I  remain 

Yours  faithfully, 
E.  J.  HALE, 
President  Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement  Association. 


iii^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


II. 

HISTORY  OF  THE  PROJECT— THE  THEORY 
OF  THE  NORMAL  PORT. 

(From  Fayetteville  Daily  Observer,   June  28,  1910.) 


ORIGIN    AND    PROMOTION    OF    THE    UPPER    CAPE    FEAR 
PROJECT. 


The  following,  being  the  chief  part  of  an  article  on  this  sub- 
ject by  E.  J.  Hale  in  the  Easter  edition  of  the  Maxton  Scottish 
Chief,  will  doubtless  prove  interesting  at  this  time: 

In  1883,  Fayetteville  was  at  its  lowest  estate.  The  Charter  had 
been  surrendered.  The  moral  effect  of  such  a  condition  was  dis- 
heartening in  the  extreme,  and  added  to  the  commercial  disability 
imposed  on  the  town  by  the  construction  of  the  North  Carolina 
Railroad  in  1856  and  of  the  ''Danville  Connection"  at  the  outbreak 
of  the  war.  The  Danville  connection,  from  Greensboro  to  Danville, 
49  miles,  was  the  link  that  joined  the  inchoate  North  Carolina  sys- 
tem to  the  Virginia  system  and  transferred  the  "gateway"  or  Middle 
and  Western  North  Carolina  and  some  adjacent  parts  from  Fayette- 
ville and  Wilmington  to  Richmond  and  Norfolk.  This  had  been  op- 
posed by  the  old  Observer  with  all  its  might;  and  successfully,  until 
the  exigencies  of  the  Confederacy  caused  State  lines  in  transporta- 

\    tion  to  be  obliterated. 

j  Commentmg  upon  my  enthusiastic   "boosting"   of  Fayetteville 

and  predictions  of  its  great  future  when  radiating  railways  should 
restore  the  "gateway"  to  the  former  commercial  capital,  a  prom- 
inent busiJiess  man  and  property  owner  said  "Your  efforts  are  use- 
less. The  point  of  distibution  has  moved  on.  Once  Fayetteville; 
then  Egypt;  then  the  successive  heads  of  the  road,"  etc.  It  did  not 
seem  to  occur  to  him  that  when  the  road  should  reach  Greensboro 
it  would  meet  competition  from  another  quarter,  and  that  the  basis 
of  competition  in  each  case  was  a  water  base — at  Fayetteville  for 
the  Cape  Fear,  or  North  Carolina,  system;  at  Richmond,  for  the 
James  river,  or  Virginia,  system. 

Upon  my  return  from  India  to  England  in  1890  I  was  *   *  * 


the  Cape  Fear  River 


made  a  vice-president  of  tlie  International  Congress  on  Interior 
Navigation.  *  *  *  *  There  were  tliree  members  of  the  Congress 
*  *  *  who  *  *  *  asked  me  to  accompany  them  in  the  tour  of  inspec- 
tion .which  they  were  about  to  make  of  the  leading  engineering 
works  of  Britain.  They  were  Voisin  Bey,  representing  the  French 
Government,  who  had  been  engineer  in  chief  of  the  successful  Suez 
Canal  of  which  De  Lesseps  was  the  promoter;  Herr  Franzius,  rep- 
resenting the  German  Emperor;  and  Mr.  Vernon  Harcourt,  an  em- 
inent English  engineer  and  author  of  works  on  waterways.  In  the 
course  of  our  travels,  I  spoke  of  my  home  at  Fayetteville,  and  of 
the  vast  territory  which  it  had  served  as  a  distributing  point  in 
former  times ;  of  the  interference  with  this  condition  by  the  estab- 
lishment  (lS56-'65)  of  North  and  South-going  railways  that  cut 
across  our  wagon  roads;  of  our  attempt  to  restore  the  normal 
condition  by  tapping  this  railway  system  at  Greensboro  in  1884; 
of  the  failure  of  this  effort  because  of  the  want  of  continuous  navi- 
gation on  the  river  throughout  the  year;  of  my  theory  that  there 
must  have  been  a  great  change  in  the  navigability  of  the  river 
since  1817,  for  example,  because  in  that  year  the  steamer  Henrietta 
was  built  with  a  draft  of  TVz  feet,  whereas  the  type  of  her  success- 
ors had  gradually  changed  until,  in  the  slang  of  the  boatman,  the 
modern  Cape  Fear  boat  could  run  on  "a  heavy  dew;"  of  my  con- 
jecture from  observations  in  Europe  and  the  Orient,  that  this 
change  was  the  result  o''  deforestation,  an  expression  of  civilization 
whose  effect  was  not  then  realized  in  my  country;  of  my  recogni- 
tion of  the  superior  knowledge  of  these  subjects  with  which  the 
pressure  of  population  in  the  old  countries  had  caused  the  Europe- 
an engineers  to  be  endowed;  and  of  my  desire  to  learn  from  them 
whether  or  not  an  adaptation  of  Captain  Eads's  plan  of  sunken 
osier  mattresses  for  the  Mississippi  would  serve  for  the  Upper 
Cape  Fear.  They  said  that  I  was  right  about  the  effect  of  deforest- 
ation, which  was  an  old  subject  in  Europe,  but  that  the  particular 
form  of  the  remedy  would  depend  upon  the  volume  of  water  in  the 
drought  season.  If  the  river  was  broad,  longitudinal  dykes  confin- 
ing the  flow  to  a  narrower  cross  section  would  necessarily  mean 
greater  depth  with  the  same  volume  of  water.  I  replied  that  the 
river  was  very  narrow,  starting  from  the  first  falls  above  Fayette- 
ville, and  that  the  banks  for  many  miles  below  and  until  tidewater 
was  reached,  ranged  from  nearly  70  feet  in  height  down.  Franzius 
at  once  said,  "That  is  your  advantage.  Here  are  these  Manchester 
people  who  are  digging  a  canal  to  the  sea  at  a  cost  of  two  million 
dollars  per  mile,  whereas  your  canal  is  already  dug  and  all  you 
have  to  do  is  to  plug  it  up  by  dams  and  get  all  the  depth  you 
need." 

Upon  my  return  to  America!  found  that  the  Cape  Fear  and 


10  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


(i( 


Yadkin  Valley  Railroad,  extended  to  Mount  Airy,  was  doing  a  good 
business  in  connection  with  a  tri-weekly  line  of  boats  both  ways 
between  Wilmington  anc'.  Fayetteville,  but  that  its  volume  fell  far 
short  of  what  it  should  be.  Upon  inquiry,  I  learned  that  the  Gov- 
ernment was  endeavoring  to  satisfy  the  obligation  which  it  assumed 
when  it  took  over  from  the  old  Cape  Fear  Navigation  Company  the 
control  of  the  Upper  Cape  Pear  in  1881,  but  that  it  had  adopted  a 
system  of  jetties  for  deepening  the  channel,  the  crudest  form  of 
the  engineering  devices  employed  for  that  purpose. 

In  December,  1898,  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  Railroad 
was  dismembered,  and  its  parts  sold  to  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  and 
the  Southern  Railroad.  In  January,  1899,  the  railway  headquarters 
(and,  later  the  repair  shops),  were  broken  up  and  removed.  These 
establishments  were  of  great  importance  to  the  struggling  town, 
apart  from  the  circumstance  that  they  were  the  means  of  support 
for  a  considerable  and  very  intelligent  part  of  its  population,  be- 
cause of  the  prestige  which  they  contributed  to  it. 

The  situation  was  desperate,  and  I  determined  to  launch  the 
result  of  my  European  studies  in  the  teeth  of  the  Government's 
complacent  view  of  the  efficacy  of  its  antiquated  jetty  system. 

So,  on  September  8,  1899,  I  began  my  campaign  to  that  effect 
with  an  editorial  in  The  Observer  calling  attention  to  the  contrast 
between  our  crude  waterway  methods  and  those  refined  ones  which 
the  pressure  of  population,  demanding  economy  of  transportation, 
had  long  :;ince  caused  the  older  nations  to  adopt. 

The  enlightened  engineer  officer  at  Wilmington,  Captain  Lucas, 
quickly  acted  upon  The  Observer's  suggestion;  the  Wilmington  and 
Fayetteville  commercial  bodies  endorsed  it;  our  representative  in 
Congress,  Mr.  Thomas,  embodied  The  Observer's  editorials  in  a 
sueech  he  delivered  there;  and  all  went  well  until  the  report  of  the 
estimated  cost  of  the  proposed  lock  and  dam  project  came  in  from 
the  engineer  department.  This  estimated  cost  was  $1,350,000,  and, 
to  those  who  were  unacquainted  with  the  principle  upon  which  the 
people  of  Manchester  had  won  their  charter  for  the  Manchester 
Ship  Canal  against  the  powerful  opposition  of  Liverpool  and  the 
railroads,  this  great  sum  in  behalf  of  the  commerce  of  a  little  town 
whose  dimensions  could  hardly  be  seen  from  the  outer  world  by 
a  telescope,  seemed  preposterous. 

In  1886,  two  English  gentlemen,  Baron  (now  Earl)  Egerton  of 
Tatton,  and  Sir  J.  C.  Lee,  afterwards  chairman  and  vice-chairman 
of  the  Manchester  Ship  Canal  Company,  explained  to  me  the  prin- 
ciple upon  which  they  had  won  their  charter  from  Parliament. 

This  principle  was  the  fixing  of  a  boundary  line  which  repre- 
sented the  mean  distance  between  the  nearest  existing  ocean 
steamer  ports   and   the   proposed   ship  canal,   and  the  assumption 


the  Cape  Fear  Rivei"  11 


that  all  the  traffic  in  the  territory  thus  delimited  would,  under  the 
law  of  least  resistance,  seek  the  new  route.  The  application  of 
this  principle  to  Fayetteville  and  the  Upper  Cape  Pear  would  re- 
sult in  the  delimitation  of  a  traffic-tributary  territory  containing 
two  millions  of  population  and  supplying  six  millions  of  freight 
tonnage. 

*THE  THEORY  OF  THE  NORMAL  PORT. 

The  commercial  inferiority  of  North  Carolina  to  hor  neighbors 
on  the  North  and  South  even  in  the  flush  times  before  the  war, 
became  an  important  factor  in  my  quest  for  arguments  in  support 
of  the  specific  case  of  the  Upper  Cape  Fear.  I  began  to  study  the 
map,  when  suddenly  a  new  principle  flashed  upon  me.  Ft  was  what 
may  be  termed  the  philosophy  of  the  traffic  influence  of  ports. 

The  geographical  peculiarity  of  North  Carolina  is  a  jutting  sea- 
line,  which  culminates  in  the  proboscis  of  Hatteras  ind  recedes 
thence  to  the  re-entrant  angle  in  which  New  York  lies,  on  the  North, 
and  to  the  somewhat  similar  angle  in  which  Savannah  lies,  on  the 
South.  A  glance  at  the  map  will  show  that  the  normal  coast  line 
would  be  a  straight  line  from  New  York  to  Savannah. 

A  normal  coast  line  would  mean  normal  ports,  wherever  ports 
might  exist  along  its  length.  Ports,  for  the  purpose  of  this  dem- 
onstration, may  be  divided  into  three  classes:  the  normal  port; 
the  abnormal  or  less  desirable  port; 'and  the  ideal  port. 

It  is  self-evident  that  the  traffic  influence  of  any  port,  other 
things  being  equal,  extends  throughout  the  territory  included  be- 
tween linos  drawn  at  right  angles  across  the  midway  points  of 
air-lines  from  it  to  the  ports  on  either  side  of  it. 

In  the  case  of  the  normal  port,  these  right  angle  lines  would 
remain  parallel,  and  its  traffic  influence  would  be  precisely  that 
of  its  neighbors.  In  the  case  of  the  abnormal  port,  the  right-angle 
lines  would  converge,  and  its  traffic  influence  would  be  less  than 
that  of  its  neighbors,  and  in  degree  proportionate  to  the  rapidity 
of  the  convergence.  In  the  case  of  the  ideal  port,  the  right-angle 
lines  would  diverge,  and  its  traffic  influence  would  exceed  that 
of  its  neighbors,  and  h  degree  proportionate  to  the  rapidity  of 
the  divergence. 

Apply  these  self-evident  rules  to  New  York — where  the  traffic 
antennae  spread  out  like  the  ribs  of  a  fan — and  the  cause  of  the 

♦Compiler's  note.  See,  also,  the  printed  proceedings  of  the  Na- 
tional Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  for  1907,  which  gives  the  text 
of  the  paper  read  before  that  body  by  Major  Hale.  For  further  de- 
scription of  the  Theory  of  the  Normal  Port,  see  page  33  and  map  on 
page  39. 


12  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


growth  of  that  great  port  is  apparent.  Apply  them  to  Hatteras, 
or  to  all  of  the  coast  line  of  North  Carolina — which,  as  you  will 
see,  lies  far  East  of  the  normal  coast  line— and  we  have  explana- 
tion of  the  commercial  inferiority  of  North  Carolina  before  the  war. 

Fayetteville,  it  will  be  seen,  lies  on  the  (theoretical)  normal 
coast  line  from  New  York  to  Savannah — to  be  exact,  it  is  a  few 
miles  West  of  it.  Therefore  its  reconstitution  as  a  port  enjoying 
year  'round  navigation  to  the  sea  would  yield  to  it  a  traffic  territory 
bounded  (on  the  North  and  on  the  South)  by  parallel  or  slightly 
divergent  lines.  By  an  apparently  singular  but  in  fact  an  alto- 
gether logical  coincidence,  this  is  precisely  the  territory  which 
supplied  its  trade  by  wagon  roads  in  the  old  days,  the  wagoner's 
interest  causing  him  to  seek  the  nearest  port.  In  other  words, 
Fayetteville  (barring  its  want  of  deep  water)  would  again  supply 
to  North  Carolina  the  advantages  of  a  normal  port. 

A  printed  brief  of  the  foregoing  was  placed  on  the  desk  of 
each  Senator  and  Representative  in  the  Legislature  in  1901,  on 
the  morning  of  January  18th,  and  a  joint  resolution  requesting 
our  Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress  to  exert  their  united 
influence  to  secure  the  passage  of  an  amendment  to  the  River  and 
Harbor  bill  at  that  session  authorizing  the  adoption  of  the  plan 
for  securing  a  minimuir.  depth  of  8  feet  of  water  between  Wil- 
mington and  Fayetteville  throughout  the  year,  as  recommended  by 
the  government  engineer,  Captain  Lucas,  was  adopted  unanimously 
the  same  day. 

Circumstances  in  my  political  career  had  won  for  me  the  strong 
friendship  of  the  late  Senator  Jones,  of  Arkansas,  chairman  of  the 
National  Democratic  Committee.  I  asked  him  to  make  himself 
master  of  my  arguments  and,  if  approved  by  him,  to  exert  his 
great  influence  in  behalf  of  our  project.  He  not  only  did  this,  but  he 
enlisted  the  influence  of  his  colleague.  Senator  Berry,  a  one-legged 
Confederate  veteran,  who  was  the  ranking  Democrat  on  the  Com- 
merce Committee  and  therefore  the  Democratic  member  of  the  con- 
ference committee,  and  who  became  an  enthusiastic  advocate  of 
our  cause.  Through  his  influence  our  project  was  included  in  the 
River  and  Harbor  bill  and  $150,000  appropriated  for  beginning  the 
work.  The  whole  bill,  however,  was  defeated  by  Senator  Carter, 
of  Montana,  who  held  the  floor  of  the  Senate  until  the  expiration 
of  that  Congress  at  midnight  of  March  3rd. 

The  unexpected  inclusion  of  this  item  in  the  bill  of  1901,  seem- 
ed to  alarm  the  interests  opposed  to  the  project,  and  a  powerful 
opposition  was  developed  when  the  subject  came  before  Congress 
in  1902.  But  Jones  and  Berry  triumphed  again.  At  the  critical 
moment,  when  the  House  conferees  threw  out  our  amendment  un- 
ceremoniously.  Berry  thumped  his  crutch  on  the   floor,   declaring 


the  Cape  Fear  River  13 


that  "unless  Hale's  item  is  incliuled,  I  will  defeat  the  whole  bill" 
— 'and  the  item  was  retained;  but  only  $50,000  for  a  beginning  was 
appropriated. 

I  then  sought  the  aid  of  organized  effort  in  behalf  of  the  gen- 
eral promotion  of  river  and  harbor  improvements  as  expressed  in 
the  "National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress,"  and  it  was  the  in- 
fluence of  the  President  of  that  body.  Representative  Ransdell,  the 
leading  Democrat  of  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  Committee,  which 
enabled  us  the  other  day  to  break  the  precedent  in  the  House  by 
securing  adoption  of  the  project  for  the  first  time  in  that  body, 
coupled  with  a  small  appropriation. 

The  item  which  is  tlius  included  in  the  bill  is  in  accordance 
with  the  revised  plan  (costing  $615,000)  which  Senator  Overman 
induced  the  Board  of  Engineers  to  recommend  unanimously  in 
1908.  Senator  Simmons's  amendment  provides  for  the  letting  to 
contract  of  the  whole  work,  without  further  recourse  to  Congress. 
This  amendment,  I  am  informed,  will  "stick"  in  the  conference. 

Governor  Aycock  commissioned  me  as  the  representative  of 
the  State  at  the  founding  of  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Con- 
gress at  Baltimore  in  1901,  and  Governor  Glenn  and  Governor 
Kitchin  appointed  me  chairman  of  the  North  Carolina  delegations 
to  subsequent  sessions  of  that  body.  When  I  was  ill  at  home  in 
the  Winter  of  1905-6,  Mr  Patterson,  with  the  earnest  aid  of  the 
entire  North  Carolina  delegation  in  Congress,  secured  my  reten- 
tion on  the  directorate  of  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress,  which 
was  reorganized  then.  These  actions  enabled  me  to  retain  for 
our  Upper  Cape  Fear  project  primacy,  or  right  of  way,  over  all 
other  of  our  North  Carolina  pojects. 

Cicumstances  not  necessary  to  describe  here  caused  the  for- 
feiture of  our  precedence  in  1907  and  the  loss  of  the  necessary 
appropriation  then. 

Besides  the  indispensable  work  of  Senator  Jones  and  Senator 
Berry  at  the  outset,  great  credit  for  their  work  at  the  legislative 
end  is  due  to  our  two  distinguished  and  influential  Senators,  and 
to  our  able  representatives,  Messrs.  Thomas,  Patterson  and  God- 
win, each  of  whom  has  done  all  in  his  power  in  our  behalf. 

Chief  Justice  Clark  was  the  first  public  man  of  prominence 
to  grasp  the  full  meaning  of  my  project  and  demonstrations  and 
to  approve  them  publiclv  That  was  in  1900.  Later,  in  his  Liberty 
Point  address  in  Fayetteville,  June  21,  1909,  he  gave  the  cause  a 
great  send-off. 

He  has  at  all  times  given  me  the  support  of  his  great  name. 
I  estimate  the  value  of  his  assistance  along  with  that  of  Senator 
Jones  and  Senator  Berry — that  is.  of  the  first  importance. 

The  money  cost  of  the  promotion  of  the  project  up  to   date 


14  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


has  been  $3,597.29.  a  trifling  sum  when  compared  with  the  many 
thousands  spent  by  the  big  waterway  projects  of  our  country  and 
the  nearly  a  million  dollars  spent  by  Manchester  in  the  numerous 
parliamentary  hearings  required  before  her  Ship  Canal  charter 
was  secured. 

So  you  will  see  how  a  train  of  circumstances,  each  compara- 
tively triffing  in  itself,  but  correlated  throughout  and  worked  for 
all  they  were  worth,  have  led  to  the  success  of  a  great  scheme. 


the  Cape  Fear  River 15 


III. 

THANKS  TO  THE  OFFICIALS  WHO  HELPED 

US. 

(From  Fayetteville  Daily  Observer,  June  28,  1910.) 


LE1TERS   OF   THANKS. 


Following  are  copies  of  the  letters  of  thanks  sent  to  the  offi- 
f^ials  who  took  part  in  influencing  or  securing  the  embociiment  in 
law  of  the  Upper  Cape  Fear  project,  which  were  referred  to  in 
yesterday's  editorial  on  U-\h^  suhj^ct: 

Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement  Association, 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  June,  27,  1910. 
Hon.  Walter  Clark, 

Chief  Justice  of  North  Carolina, 
Raleigh. 
My  dear  Sir: 

The  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  provision  for  the  con- 
struction and  completion  of  our  great  river  project,  became  a  law  on 
Wednesday  last,  and  was  also  signed  by  the  President  on  Satur- 
day. I  write  to  offer  to  you  my  heartiest  thanks  for  the  important 
part  you  have  played  in  the  success  of  this  undertaking.  You  were 
the  first  public  man  of  State  and  National  reputation  to  grasp  the 
meaning  of  my  editorial  in  The  Observer  of  September  8,  1899, 
launching  this  project,  and  to  publicly  express  your  approval  of 
it.  When  the  public  had  become  indifferent  and  even  our  own 
Chamber  of  Commerce  had  forgotten  the  existence  of  the  project 
entirely,  your  letters  continued  to  encourage  me,  while  your  public 
utterances  on  the  subject  were  of  incalculable  benefit  in  hastening 
the  end.  I  estimate  your  service  as  of  the  first  magnitude  and 
along  with  that  of  Senator  J.  K.  Jones  and  Senator  Berry,  without 
whose  aid  at  Washington  the  project  would  have  been  trampled 
under  foot  by  the  powerful  interests  arrayed  against  it,  and  shut 
out  from  recognition  in  law  during  our  day. 
I  remain,  my  dear  sir,  with  high  regard. 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.  J.  HALE, 
President,  &c. 


16  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


[Letters  of  thanks,  in  full  recognition  of  their  great  services, 
were  written  at  the  time  (May,  1902,)  to  Senators  Jones  and  Berry. 
— E.  J.  H] 


Upper  Cape  Fear   Improvement  Association, 
Fayetteville,  N.  C,  June  27,  1910. 
Hon.  Charles  R.  Thomas, 

House  of  Representatives,  Wasliington,  D.  C. 
My  dear  Sir: 

As  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  the  item  for  con- 
struction and  completioi:i  of  our  Upper  Cape  Fear  project  has  be- 
come lavvr,  I  w^rite  to  express  my  very  hearty  thanks  for  your  aid 
at  the  outset  of  its  promotion.  Yours  was  the  first  speech  in  this 
behalf  made  in  Congresy  (1900).  You  were  good  enough  to  em- 
body in  it  my  articles  in  The  Observer  in  full  calUing  for  the  appli- 
cation of  modern  engineering  methods  to  the  problem  of  restoring 
the  navigability  of  rivers  below  the  first  falls,  which  had  been  im- 
paired by  deforestation,  in  place  of  the  crude  and  inefficient  treat- 
ment of  them  then  in  vogue  in  this  section.  I  have  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  you  thus  helped  materially  to  set  in  motion  the  great 
sentiment  in  favor  of  internal  navigation  which  first  created  the 
National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  and  then  secured  its  tri- 
umph in  the  legislation  of  the  United  States  Congress  just  ended. 
With  high  regard,  I  remain, 

Yours  very  truly, 

B.  J.  HALE, 
President.  &c. 


Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement  Association, 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  June,  27,  1910. 
Hon.  C.  B.  Aycock, 

Raleigh,  N.  C. 
My  dear  Sir: 

As  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  provision  for  the 
construction  and  completion  of  our  Upper  Cape  Fear  project,  has 
become  law,  I  write  to  express  my  thanks  for  the  important  aid 
which,  as  Governor,  following  the  Legislature's  precedent,  you  gave 
to  me  in  the  early  days  of  its  promotion.  At  my  request,  you  gave 
me  a  commission  accrediting  me  as  the  representative  of  the  State 
at  the  convention  which  organized  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors 
Congress  at  Baltimore  in  September,  1901.  I  have  no  doubt  that 
this  materially  contributed  to  the  movement,  begun  by  the  Savan- 
nah delegates,  to  have  me  placed  on  the  board  of  directors  as  the 


the  Cape  Fear  River  17 


representative  of  the  South  Atlantic  States.  This,  in  turn,  re- 
sulted in  the  concession  to  our  project  of  primacy,  or  right  of  way, 
among  sundry  others;  and  this,  again,  in  hastening  its  adoption 
by  Congress. 

With  high  regard,  I  remain. 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.   J.  HALE, 
President,  &c. 


Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement  Association, 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  June.  27,  1910. 
Hon  R.  B.  Glenn, 

Winston-Salem,  N.  C. 
My  dear  Sir: 

As  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  provision  for  the 
construction  and  completion  of  our  Upper  Cape  Fear  project,  has 
become  law,  I  write  to  express  my  thanks  for  the  important  aid 
Which,  as  Governor,  following  the  Legislature's  precedents,  you  gave 
me  in  assigning  to  this  project  the  first  place  among  all  our 
North  Carolina  projects.  This  you  did  in  1906;  again  in  your  let- 
ter to  Lieut.  Colonel  Hoxie's  committee  of  the  Board  of  Engineers 
sitting  in  Fayetteville,  January  24,  1907;  and  still  again  in  appoint- 
ing me  chairman  of  the  North  Carolina  delegaton  to  the  convention 
of  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  in  1908. 
With  high  regard,  I  remain. 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.  J.  HALE, 
President,  &c. 


Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement  Association, 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  June,  27,  1910. 
Hon.  W.  W.  Kltchin, 

Governor  of  North  Carolina, 
Raleigh, 
My  dear  Sir: 

As  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  provision  for  the 
construction  and  completion  of  our  Upper  Cape  Fear  project,  has 
become  law,  I  write  to  express  my  thanks  for  the  important  aid 
which,  following  the  Legislature's  precedents,  you  gave  to  this  pro- 
ject in  appointing  me  chairman  of  the  North  Carolina  delegation 
to  the  convention  af  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  in 
December  last.  By  this  act,  the  retention  for  it  of  the  primacy,  or 
jight  of  way,  amorig  all  other  North  Carolina  projects,  was  assured. 


18  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

Our  people,  also,  very  greatly  appreciated  your  coming  to  Fayette- 
ville  to   welcome  the   members   of  the   National  Waterways   Com- 
mission on  the  occasion  of  their  visit  in  February. 
With  high  regard,  I  remain,  my  dear  sir, 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.  J.  HALE, 
President,  &c. 


Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement  Association, 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  June,  27,  1910. 
Hon.  F.  M.  Simmons, 

U.  S.  Senate,  Washington,  D.  C. 
My  dear  Sir: 

As  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  provision  for  the 
construction  and  completion  of  our  Upper  Cape  Fear  project,  has 
become  law,  I  write  to  express  my  heartiest  thanks  for  the  great 
service  which  you  have  rendered  Fayetteville  and  the  State  in 
this  behalf.  Except  for  the  exercise  by  you  in  our  favor  of  your 
powerful  influence  as  a  member  of  the  Commerce  committee  and 
of  the  Waterways  Commission,  assigning  to  ours  precedence  over  all 
other  North  Carolina  projects,  separating  it  also  completely  from 
the  rest  in  the  order  of  presentation,  we  should  have  secured  but 
partial  recognition  by  this  Congress.  We  think  also  that  you  have 
displayed  great  skill  in  the  conduct  of  our  case  before  Congress. 

It  is  proper  to  add  that  I  am  not  unmindful  of  the  readiness 
with  which,  in  January,  1902,  you  acceded  to  my  request  to  exert 
your  authority,  as  head  of  the  Democratic  organization  in  North 
Carolina,  to  secure  the  united  efforts  of  the  North  Carolina  delega- 
tion in  Congress  in  behalf  of  this  project,  in  accordance  with  the 
resolution  of  the  General  Assembly. 
With  high  regard,  I  remain, 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.  J.  HALE, 
President,  &c. 


Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement  Association, 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  June,  27,   1910. 
Hon.  Lee  S.  Overman, 

U.  S.  Senate,  Washington,  D.  C. 
My  dear  Sir: 

As  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  provision  for  the 
construction  and  completion  of  our  Upper  Cape  Fear  project,  has 
become  law,  I  write  to  express  my  heartiest  thanks  for  the  great 


the  Cape  Fear  River  19 


service  which  you  have  rendered  Fayetteville  and  the  State  in  this 
behalf.  At  the  beginn'ng  of  your  term  in  the  Senate,  in  1903,  you 
took  charge  of  our  interests  in  this  matter — introducing  bill  after 
bill  for  appropriations  under  the  orginal  plan;  keeping  in  con- 
stant touch  with  the  chief  of  engineers,  General  McKenzie,  and  se- 
curing his  earnest  support  of  the  project;  and,  by  your  arguments 
and  influence  securing  the  unanimous  approval  of  the  amended 
plan  of  1908  by  the  Board  of  Engineers  in  that  year.  Except  for  this 
last  naiiied  act,  our  item  in  the  bill  which  has  just  passed  would 
have  been  excluded  from  consideration  by  the  House  committee 
and  their  conferees  under  the  rule  adopted  by  them  which  requires 
the  rejection  of  all  projects  not  recommended  by  the  Board  of 
Engineers. 

'With  high  regard,  I  remain, 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.  J.  HALE, 
President,  &c. 


Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement  Association, 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  June,  27,  1910. 
Hon.  G.  B.  Patterson, 
Maxton,  N.  C. 
My  dear  Sir: 

Aa  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  provision  for  the 
Construction  and  completion  of  our  Upper  Cape  Fear  project,  has 
become  law,  I  write  to  express  my  thanks  for  the  manner  in  which 
you  kept  the  subject  alive  with  your  colleagues  at  Washington  and 
with  General  McKenzie,  the  chief  of  engineers,  during  your  ser- 
vice in  Congress,  1903-7,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that,  during  those 
four  years,  no  rivers  and  harbors  bill,  containing  items  for  new 
projects  or  beyond  the  needs  for  maintenance  of  existing  projects 
was  considered, 

I  also  bear  gratefully  in  mind  the  ready  response  which  you 
made  to  my  appeal,  when  I  was  laid  up  ill  at  home  in  the  winter 
of  1905-6,  to  get  your  colleagues  of  the  North  Carolina  delegation 
to  attend  in  my  behalf,  along  with  you,  the  convention  then  called 
for  the  purpose  of  reorganizing  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors 
Congress.  Your  successful  efforts  then  in  securing  my  retention 
on  the  Board  of  D?: rectors  of  that  body,  were  largely  influential 
in  enabling  me  to  retain  for  our  project  its  primacy,  or  right  of 
way,  among  Nojth  Carolina  projects,  and  to  gain  the  friendship  of 
Mr.  Ransdell,  tVis  President  of  the  reorganized  body,  whose  action 
in  January  last  iin  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  committee  of  the  House 


20      Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

of  Representatives,   of  which  lie  is  a  leading  member,   was   prob- 
ably of  vital  consequence  to  us. 
With  high  regard,  I  remain, 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.  J.  HALE, 
President,   &c. 


Upper  Cape  Pear  Improvement  Association, 

Payetteville,  N.  C,  June,  27,  1910. 
Hon.  Joseph  E.  Ransdell, 

President  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress,  and  Member  of 
the  Rivers  and  Harbors  Committee  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, Washingon,  D.  C. 
My  dear  Sir: 

As  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  b'll,  containing  provision  for  the 
construction  and  completion  of  our  Upper  Cape  Fear  project,  has 
become  law,  I  write  to  express  my  heartiest  thanks  for  the  great 
service  which  you  have  rendered  Fayetteville  and  the  State  of 
North  Carolina  in  this  behalf.  Except  for  the  exercise  by  you  in 
our  favor  of  your  powerful  influence  as  President  of  the  National 
Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress,  the  organization  which  has  caused 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States  to  enact  the  present  Rivers  and 
Harbors  bill  and  to  enter  upon  a  comprehensive  and  just  policy 
of  waterway  improvement  involving  the  expenditure  of  500  millions 
of  dollars  in  the  next  ten  years — except  for  the  exercise  of  such 
your  influence  in  convincing  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  committee 
that  ours  was  not  a  new  project  because  it  had  been  amended  in 
detail,  we  should  have  been  thrown  out  for  another  year  at  least. 

With  assurance  of  my  high  i^egard  and  renewed  thanks  for 
your  many  courtesies,  I  remain, 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.  J.  HALE, 
President,  &c. 


Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement  Association, 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  June,  27,  1910. 
Hon.  H.  L.  Godwin, 

House  of  Representatives,  Washington,   D.   C. 
My  dear  Sir: 

As  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  our  Upper  Cape 
Fear  item,  has  become  law,  I  write  to  express  my  very  hearty 
thanks  for  the  painstaking,  intelligent  and  laborious  efforts  which 
you  have  bestowed  upon  its  prpmot^'on.     The  respect  and  influence 


the  Cape  Fear  River  21 


which  you  have  gained  among  your  colleagues,  particularly  Messrs. 
Alexander,  Edwards,  Ellerbe  and  Taylor,  of  the  Rivers  and  Harbors 
committee,  have  served  you  well  in  this  matter.  It  must,  also, 
be  a  subject  for  gratification  to  you  that  It  was  during  your  term 
as  representative  from  this  District  that  a  bill  for  canalizing  the 
Upper  Cape  Fear  first  passed  the  House  Committee  on  R'vers  and 
Harbors. 

With  high  regard,  I  remain, 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.   J.  HALE, 
President,   &c. 


Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement  Association, 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  June  27,  1910. 
Captain  Earl  I.  Brown, 

Corps  of  Engineers,  U.   S.  A.,   Wilmington,  N.   C. 
My  dear  Sir: 

As  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  containing  our  Upper  Cape 
Fear  item,  has  become  law,  I  write  to  express  my  very  hearty 
thanks  for  the  important  service  you  rendered,  in  the  line  of  duty, 
in  behalf  of  our  project  at  a  critical  moment  in  its  promotion.  As. 
3^ou  will  observe,  the  technical  phraseology  employed  for  secur- 
ing full  authorization  for  a  contract,  or  contracts,  necessary  for 
completion  of  the  whole  work,  and  acceptable  to  the  Board  of 
Engineers,  is  used  in  the  bill  as  passed. 

With  renewed  thanks  for  your  many  courtesies,  I  am,  with  high 
regard. 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.   J.  HALE, 
President,   &c. 


ii  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


IV. 
SOME  OF  THE  EARLY  STEPS. 

(From  Fayetteville  Daily  Observer,  June  3,  1902.) 


ENTHUSIASTIC   TOWN    MEETING. 


Resolutions  of  Thanks. 


On  Wednesday  the  Board  of  Aldermen  passed  the  following 
resolution: 

"Resolved,  That  the  Mayor,  A.  B.  Williams,  chairman  county 
commissioners,  and  F.  R.  Rose,  secretary  chamber  of  commerce, 
acting  together,  shall  call  a  meeting  at  an  early  date  to  give  the 
citizens  of  Fayetteville  an  opportunity  to  vote  an  expression  of 
their  thanks  and  appreciation  to  the  Citizens'  Committee,  and  to 
the  conferees  and  the  Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress 
for  their  earnest  work  in  behalf  of  the  appropriation  for  the  Up- 
per Cape  Fear." 

In  accordance  with  the  above  resolution,  and  under  the  call 
of  the  Mayor  and  associates,  the  meeting  was  held  last  night.  Fol- 
lowing are  the  Secretary's  minutes : 

A  large  and  enthusiastic  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Fayetteville 
and  Cumberland  county  assembled  in  the  court  house  last  night 
on  call  of  the  Mayor,  by  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen. 
Mayor  McMillan  invited  Hon.  H.  McD.  Robinson  to  preside.  After 
stating  the  object  of  the  meeting  he  announced  it  ready  for  busi- 
ness.    On  motion,  Mr.  F.  R.  Rose  was  chosen  secretary. 

Hon.  E.  J.  Hale  offered  the  following  resolution,  which  was  un- 
animously approved  and  adopted: 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  citizens  of  Fayetteville  be 
voted  and  tendered  to  Senators  Pritchard  and  Simmons,  of  North 
Carolina;  to  Senators  McM'llan,  Elkius  and  Berry,  and  Represen- 
tative Lester,  of  Georgia,  of  the  Committee  of  Conference  on  the 
Rivers  and  Harbors  bill;  to  Senator  Jones,  of  Arkansas,  and  Mason, 
of  Illinois;  to  the  North  Carolina  delegation  in  the  Lower  Houoe  of 
Congress  for  their  vote  in  caucus  to  give  the  appropriation  for  the 


the  Cape  Fear  River  23 


Upper  Cape  Fear  precedence  over  all  others  asked  for  by  the  sev- 
eral Districts;  to  His  Excellency,  the  Governor  of  North  Carolina; 
and  to  Secretary  William  H.  Love,  of  the  National  Rivers  and  Har- 
bors Congress. 

Resolved,  That  especial  thanks  are  due  to  Senator  Simmons  for 
securing  the  caucus  action  mentioned  above;  to  Senator  Berry  for 
his  steadfast  stand  in  our  behalf  in  the  Conference  Committee; 
and  to  Captain  E.  W.  Van  C.  Lucas  for  the  skill  with  wh'ch  he  has 
treated  the  engineering  problem  presented  to  him  and  the  inter- 
est which  he  has  manifested  in  the  advancement  of  this  city  and 
section. 

Mr.  H.  R.  Home  then  presented  the  following  resolutions,  which, 
after  some  slight  additions,  were  cordially  approved  of  by  all  present 
and  unanimously  adopted: 

Whereas,  Maj.  E.  J.  Hale,  chairman  of  the  committee  appoint- 
ed by  the  Fayetteville  Chamber  of  Commerce  to  promote  and  se- 
cure the  adoption  of  our  river  improvement  scheme,  has  generous- 
ly given  time  and  means  and  talent  to  this  great  work;   and 

Whereas,  Chiefly  through  his  able,  ingenious  and  indefatigable 
efforts  we  believe  the  project  has  reached  its  present  triumphant 
status : 

Resolved,  That  we  congratulate  him  on  the  rii.h  fruit  that  his 
labor  has  borne  and  thank  him  heartily  and  profoundly  for  this 
great  service  to  his  native  town  and  State. 

Whereas,  The  zealous,  untiring  and  efficient  secretary  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  Mr.  F.  R.  Rose,  and  Messrs.  W.  L.  Holt, 
R.  L.  Williams,  W.  S.  Cook,  H.  C.  Bash,  W.  M.  Mogan,  A.  B.  Wil- 
liams, A.  H.  Slocomb  and  J.  A.  King,  also  of  the  committee,  have 
rendered  invaluable  and  indispensable  aid  in  this  great  battle  for 
a  great  internal  improvement: 

Resolved,  That  the  sincere  gratitude  of  this  meeting  is  cordially 
extended  to  them. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  community  are  due  and  are 
hereby  tendered  to  the  Mayor  and  Aldermen  and  the  County  Com- 
missioners for  timely  and  necessary  contributions  to  the  limited 
funds  in  hand. 

Pending  this  final  action  the  meeting  was  very  entertainingly  ad- 
dressed by  the  followinf^  gentlemen  in  support  of  the  resolutions 
and  with  a  desire  to  further  emphasize  the  appreciation  of  the 
people  of  the  efforts  of  those  gentlemen  both  here  and  elsewhere, 
and  whose  persistent  labors  had  brought  the  great  scheme  thus 
far  to  so  successful  a  point:  Hon.  Geo.  M.  Rose,  H.  R.  Home,  L 
A.  Murchison,,  Jas.  W.  Atkinson,  Senator  Jas.  D.  McNeill,  Hon.  J. 
G.  Shaw,  E.  H.  Williamson,  H.  L.  Cook,  Capt.  A.  B.  Williams,  R. 


i4  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

McMillan,  F.  R.  Rose,  Dr.  H.  W.  Lilly,  Dr.  T.  M.  Hunter  and  H.  C. 
Bash. 

^     H;     ^     :}:     :j:     :{; 


(From  FayetteviiJe  Daily  Observer,  June  27,  1902.) 
THE    MOST   SUITABLE    PERSON. 


To  the  Democrats  of  the  Sixth  District: 

"We,  the  undersigned  citizens  of  Fayetteville  and  Cumberland 
respectfully  present  to  you  the  name  of  Edward  J.  Hale  as  the 
most  suitable  person  who  could  be  chosen  to  represent  this  District 
in  Congress,  and  we  eari^estly  urge  that  you  nominate  him  at  the  ap- 
proaching convention  to  be  held  in  this  city. 

His  election  would  recall  the  best  traditions  of  North  Carolina 
at  Washington.  He  has  had  a  distinguished  career — at  the  Uni- 
versity, in  the  Confederate  Army,  and  in  the  Foreign  service  of 
the  Government.  Though  never  before  seeking  the  suffrages  of 
the  people  for  office  with  pay  attached  to  it,  he  has  been  repeated- 
ly honored  by  Democratic  State  conventions  with  positions  of  high 
party  trust,  receiving  in  the  great  convention  of  1910  the  largest 
vote  ever  given  in  a  Democratic  convention  in  North  Carolina.  But 
the  ground  upon  which  we  make  this  appeal  is  the  proposition  that 
deep  water  in  the  Cape  Fear  up  to  Fayetteville  is  of  paramount 
importance  to  this  community  and  section,  and  that,  as  Major 
Hale  was  the  originator  of  that  idea  and  movement  and  the  suc- 
cessful leader  of  the  fight  for  it  up  to  this  point,  he  is  best  fitted 
to  promote  its  accomplishment  in  Congress. 

H.  W.  Lilly,  D.  H.  Kay,  W.  M.  Morgan,  A.  B.  Williams,  C.  B. 
McMillan  (Mayor  of  Fayetteville),  B.  J.  Lilly,  John  C.  Haigh,  G. 
G.  Myrover,  W.  J.  McDiarmid,  J.  C.  McDiarmid,  George  A.  Over- 
baugh,  C.  W.  Broadfoot,  N.  A.  Sinclair,  W.  A.  Vanstory,  J.  A.  Mc- 
Pherson,  J.  D.  Brown,  D.  H.  Graves,  R.  H.  McDuffie,  W.  B.  Mc- 
Millan, J.  A.  Steel,  J.  C.  Vann,  R.  L.  Williams,  W.  N.  Williams,  R. 
H.  Buckingham,  M.  McI.  Matthews,  J.  E.  Hawley,  F.  R.  Rose,  J.  B. 
Tillinghast,  J.  B.  Smith,  Jno.  N.  Prior,  F.  W.  Thornton,  B.  F.  Pem- 
berton,  J.  M.  Martin,  H.  G.  Smith,  J.  Q.  Goddard,  Ed.  C.  Smith,  R. 
B.  King,  J.  R.  Boyd,  J.  B.  Wilson,  Jno.  H.  Ledbetter,  Ledbetter 
Bros.,  W.  H.  Pope,  Pembroke  Woodward,  G.  B.  Patterson,  Jno.  K. 
Strange,  J.  H.  Judd,  W.  W.  Home,  A.  R.  Williams,  S.  Ruffin  Home 
H.  P.  Elliott,  W.  Mel.  Jessup,  J.  F.  Averitt,  J.  S.  McNeill,  L.  C. 
Wooten,  J.  H.  Marsh,  Chas.  Haigh,  H.  E.  Sheetz,  E.  M.  Sheetz,  W. 


the  Cape  Fear  River 25 


G.  Clark,  A.  S.  Huske,  H.  R.  Home,  Williams  &  Jessup  Bros.,  Mc- 
Geachy  &  Brown,  J.  H.  Myrover,  R.  M.  Prior,  Hollingsworth  & 
Co.,  R.L.  Holland,  C.  D.  Sedberry,  W.  S.  Maultsby,  A.  S.  Maultsby, 
J.  B.  Underwood,  Jr.,  Jas.  D.  McNeill,  I.  W.  Clark,  H.  C.  Bash,  Mike 
Folb,  A.  E.  Dixon,  S.  G.  Ayer,  Ayer's  Bargain  House,  Walter  Wat- 
son, H.  J.  McBuie,  A.  P.  Johnson,  E.  L.  Hunter,  Thomas  M.  Hunter, 
V.  C.  Bullard,  J.  L.  Tatiim,  W.  B.  Malloy,  S.  H.  MacRae,  Joe  At- 
kins, Thos.  Gill,  J.  F.  L.  Armfield,  The  Armfleld  Co.,  J.  B.  Starr, 
J.  E.  Young,  A.  Jackson,  H.  J.  Marsh,  W.  N.  Tillinghast,  A.  S.  Rose, 
J.  W.  Carmon,  Oliver  Evans,  T.  J.  Whitted,  C.  A.  King,  J.  Sam 
Maultsby,  H.  C.  Atkinson,  T.  H.  Maultsby,  G.  C.  Weisiger,  J.  L. 
West,  H.  T.  Drake,  W.  l.  Hawley,  Charles  Kennedy. 

[The  committee  requests  us  to  say  that  for  the  convenience 
of  those  who  have  not  had  an  opportunity  to  sign  the  above,  it  will 
be  found  at  the  Mayor'b  office.] 

(Compiler's   Note.) 
PRESS    C0NVEr<JT10N    ADOPTS    RESOLUTION, 

On  April  23,  1908,  Major  Hale  read  a  paper  at  the  Press  Con- 
vention at  Charlotte,  entitled,  "How  to  Prevent  Freight  Discrimina- 
tions Against  North  Carolina."  This  is  quoted  in  full  in  "ExhiDit 
C"  of  his  presentation  of  the  case  of  the  Canalization  of  the  Cape 
Fear  River  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  January  17-19, 
1910.  See  No.  V.  of  this  publication.  The  Press  Convention  adopt- 
ed unanimously  a  resolution  endorsing  the  Canalization  project  set 
forth  by  Major  Hale  as  the  means  of  preventing  freight  discrimina- 
tions against  North  Carolina,  and  a  resolution  urging  the  Senators 
and  Representatives  from  North  Carolina  to  exert  every  effort  to 
secure  the  speedy  constvuction  of  this  work  at  the  hands  of  Con- 
gress. 

Great  interest  wa.-j  aroused  throughout  the  State,  and  the 
effect  was  the  complete  removal  of  the  unfavorable  impression 
caused  by  the  side-tracking  of  the  Upper  Cape  Fear  project  at  the 
session  of  Congress  in  the  Spring  of  1907,  when  a  re-examination 
was  ordered. 

The  effect  in  Fayetteville  was  recorded  in  The  Observer  of 
December  3,  1908,  as  follows; 

UPPER    CAPE    FEAR    [MPROVEMENT    ASSOCIATION    FORMED. 

"On  Tuesday  last  (November  24,  1908,)  the  "Upper  Cape  Fear 
Improvement  Association"  was  formed,  with  a  president,  secretary, 
advisory  committee  and  finan-^e  committee.  In  choosing  the  name 
for  the  Association,  attention  was  called  to  the  change  made  since 


26  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

1900 — that  is  to  say,  it  was,  in  1900,  the  "Citizens'  Committee  on 
Improvement  of  the  Cape  Pear,"  whereas  the  association  just 
formed  recognizes  in  its  name  the  coming  into  existence  of  the  new 
project  which  confined  itself  to  deepening  the  channel  below  Wil- 
mington only.  This  change  of  name  does  not  in  any  degree  signify 
that  the  people  of  Fayetteville  have  any  less  interest  in  the  river, 
from  its  source  to  its  mcutli  at  Soutliport,  than  before:  it  is  simply 
made  for  the  sake  of  convenience,  as,  for  example,  in  identifying 
the  source  of  contributions  to  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors 
Congress,  and  so  forth." 

The  Observer  of  November  25,  1908,  gave  the  names  of  the 
officers  of  the  new  Association,  viz:  E.  J.  Hale,  president  and  F. 
R.  Rose,  secretary.  The  advisory  committee  appointed  consisted 
of  C.  W.  Broadfot,  H.  R.  Home,  H.  W.  Lilly  and  H.  McD.  Robinson. 
iVLessrs.  F.  H.  Stedman  and  W.  F.  Blount  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  collect  Fayettcville's  contribution  of  $250  to  the  National 
Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  for  1908. 


the  Cape  Fear  River ^ 


V. 

FINAL  PRESENTATION  OF  THE  CASE  BE- 
FORE CONGRESS. 

THE  BRIEF  AND  THREE  EXHIBITS  PRESENTED  TO  THE 
CONGRESS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  BY  E.  J.  HALE, 
JANUARY,   1910. 

(From  Fayetteville  Daily  Observer,  January  13,  1910j 


CANALIZATION    OF   THE    UPPER   CAPE    FEAR. 
Brief  Statement  of  the   Case. 

An  item  providing  for  the  improvement  of  the  Cape  Fear  River, 
so  as  to  provide  a  channel  eight  feet  deep  from  Wilmington  to  Fay- 
etteville throughout  the  year,  w&s  included  in  the  Rivers  and  Har- 
bors bill  reported  to  Congress  in  1901.  The  whole  bill,  however, 
failed  in  the  Senate.  The  same  item  was  included  in  the  act 
of  June  13,  1902,  and  ?';0,000  was  appropriated  for  the  purchase 
of  sites  for  locks  and  dams.  The  bill  as  recommended  by  the  War 
Department  called  for  the  construction  of  three  locks,  with  movable 
dams,  at  a  cost  of  $1,350,000. 

Since  that  time  the  science  of  river  engineering  has  progressed 
with  such  rapidity  that  it  was  thought  that  the  purpose  of  the  act 
of  1902  could  be  accomplished  at  much  less  cost  and  with  a  less 
number  of  locks.  The  River  and  Harbor  act  of  March  2,  1907,  there- 
fore, contains  this  item: 

"The  Secretary  of  War  may  cause  a  re-examination  to  be  made 
of  the  Cape  Fear  River  above  Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  with  a 
view  to  reporting  what  modifications,  if  any,  should  be  made  in  the 
existing  project,  the  expense  of  which  shall  be  paid  from  the 
amount  appropriated  in  section  two." 

The  re-examination  disclosed  the  fact  that  the  object  of  the  act 
of  1902— the  securing  of  eight  feet  depth  of  water  throughout  the 
year — could  be  accomplished  by  the  substitution  of  two  locks  with 
fixed  dams  for  three  locks  with  movable  dams,  and  at  a  cost  of 
$615,000  instead  of  $1,350,000,  or  less  than  half. 

This  plan  was  recommended  by  the  Board  of  Engineers,  con- 
curred in  by  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  and  transmitted  to  the  Speaker 


28  Hi^ory  of  I'-e  Canalization  of 


of  the  House  in  a  letter  irom  the  ;^-ecretary  of  War,  April  25,  1908. 
(See  House  Document  No.  890,  GOth  Congress,  1st  Session.)  The 
bill  now  presented  is  drav.n  in  accordance  with  that  recommenda- 
tion. 


The  estima^^p  of  existing  traffic  between  Fayetteville  and  Wil- 
mington upon  \«  'lich  and  the  deductions  from  which  the  adoption  of 
the  present  sc';;  -iie  (costing  $1,350,000)  was  based,  was  that  of  1900, 
viz:  115,000  t  ■  s,  valued  at  $1,150,000.  (See  Exhibit  A,  herewith, 
page  7.)  The  District  Blngineer  reported  the  traffic  in  1906  as  135,- 
991  tons,  valued  at  $3,630,078.  (See  House  Document  890,  above 
referred  to,  page  8.)  So  that  the  case,  considered  from  the  stand- 
point of  less  than  half  the  cost  and  more  than  three  times  the 
value  of  traffic,  was  then  more  than  six  times  as  strong  as  when 
Congress  first  adopted  the  project  in  1902.  The  report  of  the 
District  Engineer  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1909,  (see  re- 
port of  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  September  29,  1909),  showed  that  the 
tonnage  had  increased  to  137,620,  and  the  value  to  $3,960,235 — 
making  the  ratio  nearly  eight  to  one  in  favor  of  the  project  as 
now  presented. 

The  saving  in  freight  charges  by  river  from  Wilmington  to 
Fayetteville  as  compared  with  those  by  rail  is  so  great  (see  Exhibit 
B,  herewith,  page  4-5  and  7-8,)  that  private  capitalists,  if  they  had 
the  power  to  construct  this  work  as  before  1882,  could  recoup  their 
whole  outlay  for  its  construction,  as  now  recommended  by  the 
government  engineers,  in  five  years  time  by  a  tonnage  charge  of 
only  5  cents  per  100  pounds,  and  yet  save  to  the  shippers  an  equal 
amount  as  against  the  railway  charges. 

But  it  is  not  upon  the  needs  of  existing  traffic,  nor  in  consid- 
eration of  local  conditions  in  themselves,  that  the  argument  for  thp 
adoption  of  this  project  is  founded.  The  geographical  peculiarities 
of  North  Carolina  cause  it  to  be  a  matter  affecting  nearly  all  of 
North  Carolina  and  some  adjacent  parts,  containing  a  population 
this  side  of  the  Alleghanies  of  two  millions.  (See  Exhibit  A, 
pages   11-13.) 

The  jutting  coast  line  of- North  Carolina  renders  it  impossible 
for  the  greater  portion  oi  the  population  referred  to  to  enjoy  freight 
rates  on  equal  terms  with  the  people  of  other  seaboard  States, 
except  approach  be  had  through  the  port  of  Fayetteville.  This  pe- 
culiarity distinguishes  this  from  all  other  river  propositions  offered 
to  the  government.  A  glance  at  the  map,  (Exhibit  A,  page  9,)  will 
make  this  apparent.  Fajetteville  is  the  only  port  between  Norfolk 
and  Richmond  on  the  North  and  Charleston  on  the  South  which  is 
on  the  normal  coast  line,  and  therefore  it  is  the  only  port  which 


the  Cape  Fear  River 29 


lies  nearer  to  the  population  referred  to.  A  calculation  made  in 
accordance  with  the  principle  upon  which  the  promoters  of  the 
Manchester  Ship  Canal  won  their  case-viz:  that  the  territory 
trafhcally  tributary  to  a  port  comprises  all  that  is  nearer  to  it  than 
to  any  other  port— shows  that  six  millions  of  tons  of  freight  would 
be  diverted  to  Fayettevllie.  (See  Exhibit  A,  page  12.)  The  estimate 
of  the  North  Carolina  Corporation  Commission,  the  highest  author- 
ity extant  on  this  subject,  is  to  the  same  effect.  (See  Exhibit  B, 
pages  10-12,  and  13-14.) 

Three  legislatures  of  North  Carolina  endorsed  this  project 
upon  the  grounds  just  mentioned,  (see  Exhibit  B,  page  a,  and  Ex- 
hibit C,  pages  5-6,)  a  course  which  the  State  has  pursued  towards 
no  other  scheme  of  river  or  harbor  improvements  within  its 
borders. 

Before  deforestation  had  interrupted  the  year-'round  naviga- 
tion which  formerly  existed  on  this  river,  and  the  overworking  of 
the  railroad  idea  had  increased  the  effect  of  this  impediment,  Fay- 
ettevllie was  the  market  for  all  the  vast  territory  referred  to  (Ex- 
hibit A,  page  6,).  The  proposed  improvement,  therefore,  does  not 
seek  to  establish  novel  conditions,  as  in  the  canalization  of  rivers 
above  the  bead  of  navigedion,  but  to  re-establish  trade  routes  dis- 
turbed by  an  incomplete  development  of  the  problem  of  transpor- 
tation. 

Senator  Burton,  the  highest  authority  in  these  matters,  in  the 
course  of  his  speech  before  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Con- 
gress, December,  1907,  when  chairman  of  the  Rivers  and  Harbors 
Committee,  declared  that  the  object  of  legitimate  waterways  Im- 
provement is  to  supply  equal  opportunity  to  all.  It  is  a  matter  of 
common  knowledge,  admitted  now  by  the  railways  themselves,  that 
North  Carolina  is  discriminated  against  in  freight  rates.  The  rea- 
son  assigned  is  the  circumstance  that  we  have  In  North  Carolina 
no  "basing  point  for  freight  rates,"  or  "gateway,"  as  it  is  now  called. 
It  is  stated  that  Fayettevllie  will  be  made  such  a  "basing  point' 
upon  the  completion  of  the  work  now  proposed.  (Exhibit  A,  page 
12.)  Until  that  is  done,  over  two  millions  of  our  people  must  con- 
tinue, in  this  vital  respect,  to  be  deprived  of  equal  opportunity  with 
their  neighbors.     (See  Exhibit  B,  page  8.) 

Finally,  attention  is  asked  particularly  to  the  declaration  of  the 
North  Carolina  Corporation  Commission,  already  referred  to  (Ex- 
hibit B,  page  13,)  in  these  words,  viz:  "The  Atlantic  Coast  Line 
Railroad  enters  Fayettevllie  from  four  different  directions,  and  1 
enclose  you  statement  showing  the  tonnage  of  freights  for  this  road 
for  the  State.  If  the  Cape  Fear  River  is  made  navigable  to  Fayette- 
vllie, this  city  would  oe  the  distributing  point  for  a  great  majority 
of  this  freight."     On  page  15   (Exhibit  B)  is  given  "the  tonnage  of 


30,  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

freights  for  this  road  for  the  State"  in  the  Corporation  Commission's 
enclosure  referred  to  by  them,  wliich  is  3,368,441.  Assuming  that 
a  "great  majority"  of  tliis  sum  would  be  at  least  2,000,000,  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  saving  of  $1.80  a  ton  by  the  river  route  (Exhibit  B, 
page  11,)  would  amount  to  $3,600,000  per  annum — or  enough  to  pay 
the  whole  cost  of  the  proposed  work  in  two  months. 


See  also  Exhibit  C,  herewith,  which  was  unanimously  endorsed 
by  the  North  Carolina  Press  Association  at  Charlotte,  April,  1908; 
and  the  Senators  and  Members  of  Congress  from  North  Carolina 
requested  and  urged  to  exert  every  effort  to  secure  the  speedy  con- 
struction of  this  work  at  the  hands  of  Congress. 


[Note:    ,The    pages    referred   to   above   are   the   pages   of  tbe 
pamphlets  as  presented  to  Congress.] 


the  Cape  Fear  River ^ 


EXHIBIT  A. 


PREFACE. 


In  1886,  *  *  Lord  Egerton  of  Tatton,  and  Sir  Joseph  Lee,  af- 
terwards the  chairman  and  vice-chairman  of  the  Manchester  Ship 
Canal  Company,  asked  the  writer  to  make  a  report  upon  the  Man- 
chester Ship  Canal.  *  *  I  asked  if  it  was  feasible  as  an  engineer- 
ing problem  to  bring  big  ships  to  Manchester,  an  interior  city.  They 
sent  their  engineer  to  explain  that.  In  reply  to  the  same  question, 
he  said  that  anything  was  possible  in  engineering,  provided  the 
money  necessary  to  pav  its  cost  wei'e  forthcoming.  The  project  then 
was  a  commercial  one. 

The  commercial  part  of  the  problem  was  very  simple,  when 
once  presented — like  Columbus's  demonstration  of  how  to  make  the 
egg  stand  on  end,  or  any  other  of  the  great  problems  of  man's  con- 
quest of  nature,  that  turn  often  upon  the  least  complex  of  conditions 
if  they  are  but  comprehended.  It  was  this:  A  circle  described  about 
a  seaport  lies  half  in  the  sea,  where  people  do  not  dwell.  A  similar 
circle  about  an  interior  town  lies  w^'holly  on  the  land.  If  it  be  con- 
venient to  convert  the  interior  town  into  a  seaport,  it  is  manifest 
that  it  starts  off  with  double  the  population  (other  things  being 
equal)  dependent  upon  it  for  transportation,  to  begin  with.  But  it 
was  found  that,  though  Manchester  was  less  than  forty  miles  from 
Liverpool,  there  were  seven  and  a  half  millions  of  people  nearer  to 
it  than  to  Liverpool  or  any  other  port.  As  it  was  certain  that  these 
seven  and  a  half  millions  were  bound  sooner  or  later,  under  the  rule 
that  all  forces  proceed  along  the  line  of  least  resistance,  to  seek 
Manchester  as  their  port,  the  proposed  port  of  Manchester  became 
practically  a  city  of  seven  and  a  half  millions.  Manchester  was  an 
interior  mill  centre  dependent  upon  outports  for  ingress  and  egress 
from  and  to  the  world.  Fayetteville  had  been  such  a  centre  before 
1865.  The  Manchester  Ship  Canal,  using  the  waters  of  the  Irwell 
and  upper  Mersey,  was  but  35  1-2  miles  long  and  cost  $75,000,000; 
the  distance  from  Fayetteville  to  deep  water  was  tw'ice  as  great, 
whereas,  on  the  commercial  side,  the  population  of  Fayetteville  was 
but  5,000,  while  that  of  Manchester  and  contiguous  suburbs  was 
over  a  million.  Even  under  the  rule  that  gave  Manchester  7,500,000 
of  population,  Fayetteville  could  show  only  2,000,000  of  population. 
So  that  Manchester  had  half  the  distance  to  canalize  that  Fayette- 


32 Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

ville  required  and  nearly  four  times  the  population— eight  to  one 
against  Fayetteville;  but  Manchester  had  to  dig  nearly  the  whole 
distance;  Fayetteville  had  its  canal  already  dug,  which  needed  only 
to  be  na'-rowed  by  longitudinal  dykes  or  plugged  up  with  cross 
dykes,  as  the  flow  of  water  might  be  found  to  require.  Therefore  if 
the  Cape  Fear  could  be  canalized  for  the  distance  of  seventy  miles 
for,  say,  $1,500,000,  that  would  be  $20,000  a  mile  against  Manches- 
ter's $2,000,000  per  mile,  and,  if  it  could  be  demonstrated  that,  say, 
two  millions  of  people  would  be  nearer  to  the  port  of  Fayetteville 
than  to  any  other  port,  then  an  expenditure  of  $1,500,000  by  our 
Government  for  the  benefit  of  that  two  mill^'ons  of  its  citizens,  would 
be  but  75  cents  a  head,  as  against  the  British  expenditure  of  $75,000,- 
000  for  seven  and  a  half  of  British  subjects,  or  $10  per  head — plain- 
ly a  proposition  commercially  sound. 

Attention  is  especially  asked  to  the  fact  that  the  jutting  coast 
line  of  North  Carolina  and  the  situation  of  Fayetteville  on  what 
would  be  the  normal  coast  line,  is  the  crux  of  the  matter.  Our  jut- 
ting coast  line  has  rendered  it  impossible  for  the  greater  portion  of 
the  population  of  North  Carolina  to  enjoy  freight  rates  on  equal 
terms  with  the  people  of  other  seaboard  States,  except  approach  be 
had  through  the  port  of  Fayetteville.  This  peculiarity  differentiates 
this  from  ail  other  river  propositions  offered  to  the  government. 

The  following  pages  contain  the  literature  on  this  subject  worth 
perusing;  and  the  whole  is  presented  to  the  people  of  North  Caro- 
lina— whose  interests,  as  the  Legislature  has  repeatedly  declared, 
will  be  so  greatly  affected  by  the  restoration  of  Fayetteville  to  its 
former  commercial  relation  to  the  interior — for  their  information 
and  consideration. 

E.  J.  HALE, 
Chairman  of  Citizens'  Committee  on  Improvement  of  the  Cape  Fear. 


Presentation  of  Case  Before  the  Committee  on   Rivers  and  Harbors, 
•  Janaury  14,  1902,  by  E.  J.  Hale,  Chairman  of  Citizens'  Commit- 
tee of  Fayetteville,   N.  C. 

IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  CAPE  FEAR. 

Mr.   Chairman  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Committee: 

By  your  courtesy,  I  have  the  honor  to  present  to  you  the  grounds, 
upon  which  the  people  of  North  Carolina  ask  that  you  retain  in  the 
bill  which  you  are  to  report  to  the  House  of  Representatives  the 
item  providing  for  an  appropriation  for  the  improvement  of  the  Cape 
Fear  River  between  Wilmington  and  Fayetteville.  I  say  the  people 
of  "North  Carolina,"  because,  by  a  resolution  of  the  last  Legislature 


the  Cape  Fear  River 


33 


(a  copy  of  whicili  I  hand  to  you,  and  which  I  have  marked  Exhibit 
No.  1),  the  State  has  adopted  th'-s  project  as  a  State  affair,  a  course 
which  it  has  pursued  towards  no  other  scheme  of  River  or  Harbor 
improvement  witliin  its  borders. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1900,  a  bill  was  passed  by  Congress  for  a 
survey,  with  a  view  to  obtaining  a  navagiable  channel  from  Wil- 
mington to  Fayetteville  of  four,  six  or  eight  feet  depth  at  mean  low 

water. 

On  the  24th  of  November,  the  government  engineer  officer  at 
Wilmington,  Captain  Lucas,  submitted  his  report  of  the  survey 
which  he  had  made,  recommending  a  plan  for  slack-water  navigation 
with  a  minimum  depth  of  eight  feet  of  water,  the  difference  in  the 
cost  of  securing  four,  six,  or  eight  feet,  being  insignificant.  The  plan 
recommended  provides  for  three  locks  with  a  lift  of  9  feet  each,  with 
a  chamber  150  feet  long  and  28  feet  wide,  and  a  movable  dam  some 
170  feet  long  the  form  of  lock  and  dam  proposed  being  similar  to 
those  used  in  the  Kanawha  River.  His  report  will  be  found  in  House 
Document  No.  ISO,  of  the  2nd  Session  of  the  last  Congress. 

By  a  misundersttanduig  on  the  part  of  those  having  charge  of 
the  promotion  of  this  improvement,  the  statistics  necessary  to  prove 
a  "commercial  case"  for  it  were  not  supplied  to  Captain  Lucas  in 
time  for  his  regular  report,  which  is  required  to  be  started  on  its 
way  to  the  Secretary  of  War  by  the  20th  of  November.  His  report 
upon  this  subject,  therefore,  did  not  come  to  your  committee  from 
the  secretary  of  War  until  after  your  bill  had  practically  been 
drawn,  and  the  item  for  the  carrying  out  of  Captain  Lucas'  recom- 
mendation was  for  this  reason-I  trust  I  am  right  in  saying  for  this 
reason  only— not  included  in  the  bUl  reported  by  you.  It  was  added 
in  the  Senate,  and  an  appropriation  of  $250,000  voted  to  begin  the 
work,  which  sum  was  reduced  to  $150,000  in  the  Conference  Com- 
mittee of  the  two  Houses;  and,  with  the  item  in  this  form,  the  bill 
was  passed  by  the  House. 

We  now  ask  that  you  retahi  this  item  in  the  new  bill  which  you 

are  about  to  report. 


North  Carolina  was  once  called  "a  strip  of  land  between  two 
states."  As  the  State  was  the  third  in  population  at  the  1st  Census, 
and  as  it  has  a  record  of  Which  any  one  may  be  proud,  being  inter- 
ior to  that  of  none  of  the  original  thirteen  which  achieved  our  inde- 
pendence, I  assume  that  the  gibe  had  reference  to  our  commercial 
attainments-Vhlcli  have  been  inferior  to  those  of  our  neighbors. 
This  inferiority  was  palpably  the  result  of  our  want  of  l^rge  sea- 
ports; but  the  rea^son  for  this  deficiency,  which  has  been  the  theme 


34 Hi^ory  of  the  Cgnalization  of 

of  unnumbered  discussions,  was  obscured  by  the  overworking  of  the 
railroad  idea,  under  which  ra'lroads  were  held  to  be  "anniihilators  of 
space."  Recently,  the  conception  of  the  unit  of  transportation  value 
as  "per  ton  per  mile,"  has  revealed  t*lie  real  reason  to  students  of 
our  geopraphy. 

If  you  will  be  good  enough  to  look  at  the  map  w^ich  I  submit 
(and  which  I  have  marked  Exhibit  No.  2),  you  will  observe  that  the 
coast  line  of  North  Carolina  juts  out  far  beyond  the  general  coast 
line — ^namely  the  line  running  from  New  York,  where  the  first  great 
recession  takes  place  at  the  North,  to  Savannah,  where  the  last  re- 
cession culminates  at  the  South.  The  effect  of  this  peculiarity  is  to 
place  our  seaports  at  such  a  great  distance  from  the  back  country 
that  the  ports  of  our  neighbors,  Richmond  on  the  North  and  Charles- 
ton on  the  South,  are  nearer  to  much  of  it  than  they.  The  normal 
seaport  is  on  a  line  with  its  rivals.  The  ideal  seaport  is  on  a  line 
(between  its  rivals)  that  presents  a  salient  angle  to  landward  and 
the  re-entrant  angle  to  seaward.  IWith  us,  our  jutting  seacoast 
causes  those  angles  to  be  reversed  in  the  case  of  lines  drawn  from 
any  of  our  seaports  to  Richmond  on  the  one  side  and  Charleston  on 
the  other.  Now,  the  traffic  influence  of  any  port,  under  the  rule  of 
equal  charges  per  ton  per  mile,  reaches  half  way  to  the  next  port. 
If,  therefore,  we  should  delimit  the  territory  traffically  tributary  to 
the  ports  under  consideration,  by  drawing  lines  at  right  angles 
across  the  half-way  points  of  air  lines  between  them,  we  would  find 
that  these  right-angle  lines  converge  until  they  meet  within  the  ter- 
ritory of  our  own  State,  instead  of  remaining  parallel,  as  they  would 
do  in  the  normal  port,  or  diverging  as  in  the  case  of  the  ideal  port. 
The  result  of  these  physical  conditions  is  such  that  if,  instead  of  the 
commerce  repelling  Hatteras,  the  Eastern  beak  of  North  Carolina 
enclosed  the  best  harbor  in  the  world  and  a  four-track  railway  con- 
nected it  with  the  interior,  it  would  remain  as  insignificant  as 
Morehead  City  is  today,  which  has  a  fine  harbor  and  is  connected 
with  the  interior  by  a  State  railway. 

Before  the  railroad  era,  and  when  conditions  were  much  nearer 
to  nature  than  now,  the  force  of  the  wagon-borne  traffic  in  a  wide 
area  proceeded  along  the  line  of  least  resistance  and  found  water 
at  Fayetteville,  which  is  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Cape  Fear 
and  the  inland  end  of  the  improvement  now  asked  for.  By  refer- 
ence to  the  map,  it  will  be  seen  that  Fayetteville  lies  .50  miles  West 
of  a  line  from  Norfolk  to  Charleston,  the  nearest  existing  "basing- 
points  for  freight  rates,"  a  little  to  the  west  of  a  line  from  Rich- 
mond to  Charleston;  and  on  the  line  from  New  York  to  Savannah, 
the  normal  coast  line.  Wagon-borne  traffic,  a  century  ago,  from 
Central  and  Western  North   Carolina,   SouthT^^estern  Virginia  and 


town  as  its  port,  for  it  was  ^^^^^[,^'^'''7^^,' territory  whence  this 
.triMng  but  entirely  '^f^^^^ZtTnTs.Te  as  that  which  this 
^^:;::rr :  ^r  t^r  S:^uie  o.  e^u.  .iiway  cha.es 

''-'  ^r;f^.  as.in.  then,  is  -  ^  -^-7^  liJC: 
conditions,  disturbing  natural  ones   bu^tl^eeto-t       ^^  ^^^^^^ 

as  Old  as  our  f  mzatior.  a.d  as  r^^^^^^^^^^  ,l,,eh  .t 

These  condition,  have  ^^^^  f  \^^^'^  ^^.^ount  in  detail-antag- 

would  consume  too  much  of  youi  time  i  i^jmediate  settlers 

.   onisms  resulting  from  ^'^^^^'^I'^lZZnl    errors  of  State  policy, 
of  the  cape  Fear  and  the  Aibemarle  sections ^e  ^^^^^^  ^^^^^ 

as  in  the  attempt  to  build  up  a  great  PO^tjie-  ^^^  ^^.^ssities 
Une;  the  novelty  of  through  -^^^^^J^™  „,  Kovtlvand-South-go- 
of  the  Confederacy  caused  to  be  -ftaDiisi  .^  ^^^^. 

ing  railways;  the  partial  des  ruction  ^^  ^' J^^^l^,^  ^^ch  cur- 
an^d  deforestation  at  the  ^^^:^:  ^^:,^  the  river  an  easy 
tailed  the  boating  period  m  Summei  anu 
prey  to  those  competing  railways  ^   ^^.^   restoration   ot 

While   these-  circumstances  ^^^^^^^^^^^.^^e  competition  whi 
i^orm^l  conditions  in  FayettevUle  the  ^-'^J  ^^^^^.^^^  ^^^  ,,^,ed  the 
.a.  hammered  out  ^l^f^^^^^^^^S^^^ono.  mills,  sUK 
-establishment  there  of  n.anj   thru  g  ^^^^  ^^^^y 

mills  and  the  l^^-'^!  ^f^^f^agrto  this  ancient  capita.  The 
have  turned  the  eyes  o.  ^^^^  ^\^^%"^fg,,pbieal  peculiarities  which  l 
result  is:  the  recognition  of  ^^l^^femiy  described  in  the  note 
have  referred  to  and  ^^^^f^^^^.^  "  mUted-  the  realization  that, 
appended  to  the  map  winch  I  '^-^^^f'^ll'l,  payetteviUe,  freight 
except  approach  be  had  through  the  port  o^        Y  ^^  ^^^^^ 

at  the  outset,  „,-,-, nw  instify  the 

NOW,  While  it  is  plain  that  the  ;---;-;  t.^^Jl^nd  l.He 

State  in  her  present  attitude  towards  th     propose  .^  ^^^.^^ 

it  is  true  that  the  general  ^"-^^'^^^^^^  !'!^^  ^^^^y  "undertaken  the 
^ver  this  river  and  makmg  it  ^^-t-^f  ^^J^f  ™  U,"  it  does  not 
serious  responsibility  of  improving  ^^^  develop  g  ^^  .^^p.^^ement 
tollow  that  it  is  called  upon  to  ^^^^ertake  a  ^^^^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^^  j^^tity. 
more  costly  than  a  reasonable  expectau  ^^^^^^^  ^^^^^  ^pon 

^W^  have  therefore  made  an  ^^f  f  ^^!  °^^.^g,.  ^  commercial  reason 
^%e  method  employed  in  ^""^^^f^Z-l^lZntm  works  of  this  kind. 
for  the  granting  §t  a  charter  by  PaiHament  ip 


36  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


This  method,  which  is  self-evidently  sound,  is  described  on  pages 
5  and  9  of  the  United  States  government  report  on  the  Manchester 
Ship  Canal,  a  copy  of  whicli  I  submit,  marked  Exhibit  No.  3.  It  is 
assumed  that  the  population  which  is  nearer  to  a  given  port  than 
to  any  other  port,  is  bound  sooner  or  later  to  become  trafficaiiy 
tributary  to  it. 

The  existing  traffic  on  the  Cape  Fear  River  between  Wilmington 
and  Fayetteville  amounto  to  115,000  tons,  valued  at  $1,150,000.  The 
existing  railway  traffic  in  and  out  of  Fayetteville  is  112,295  tons, 
valued  at  $5,812,614.  The  population  in  the  territory  shown  on  the 
map  between  the  lines  AA,  B,  and  CC,  and  which  is  nearer  to  Fay- 
etteville and  the  part  of  the  river  involved  than  to  any  other  port,. 
is  some  2,000,000.  The  population  concerned  in  the  production  of 
the  existing  river  and  railway  traffic  in  and  out  of  Fayetteville  is 
61,000.  The  territory,  then,  which  is  nearer  to  Fayetteville  than  to 
any  other  port,  contains  a  population  thirty  times  as  great  as  the 
population  at  present  tributary  to  Fayetteville. 

We  therefore  have  this  proposition: 

Tons  Value 

Existing  River  traffic 115,000     $1,150,000 

Three-fourths  (the  divertible  portion)  of  existing 

railway  traffic   in  and  out  of  Fayetteville— 

3-4x112,295  tons  ana  3-4x     $5,812,614 84,221       4,359,460 

In  round  numbers 200,000     $5,500,000 

30  times  these  figures  would  give  the  tonnage 
and  value  of  traffic  which,  other  things  being 
equal,  would  find  a  cheaper  route  to  and  from 
the  great  markets  by  way  of  the  Cape  Fear 
River    if    improved     as     suggested,     that     is, 

30x200,000    tons    and    30x$5,500,000 6,000,000     $165,000,000 

If  the  proposed  improvement  were  a  private  undertaking  re- 
quiring tonnage  charges  for  the  payment  of  interest  on  its  cost,  it 
will  be  seen  that  a  tax  of  1  cent  a  ton  on  the  estimated  traffic  would 
pay  5  per  cent,  interest  on  a  million  and  a  quarter  of  dollars.  An 
elaboration  of  this  calculation  and  other  details  will  be  found  in  the 
Report  of  the  Citizens'  Committee  on  Improvement  of  the  Cape 
Fear,  and  the  accompanying  "Note,"  which  I  also  submit,  marked 
Exhibit  No  4. 


Some  other  considerations  in  favor  of  this  project  may  be  brief- 
ly noted: 

The  proposed  appropriation  would  merely  replace  the  present 
scheme  which  calls  for  an  expenditure  of  $275,000,  about  half  of 
which  has  been  expended,  and  which  is  worthless,  as  declared  by 
the  government  engineer. 

The  two  millions  of  people  affected  by  the  proposed  improve- 
ment, and  whose  traffic  has  been  diverted  from  the  river  by  rail- 
roads and  deforestatioii,  developments  of  cJvJHzation,  are  as  much 


the  Cape  Fear  River  37 


entitled  to  consideration  as  if  they  were  herded  in  a  seaport  whose 
harbor  had  been  made  relatively  shallower  by  the  use  of  deeper 
drafted  ships,   another  development  ot  civilization. 

Formerly,  vessels  v.  ere  adapted  to  rivers  and  harbors.  Now, 
harbors  are  being  adapted  to  vessels,  and  rivers  should  be  also. 

The  Manchester  Ship  Canal  cost  175,000,000,  or  $2,000,000  per 
mile.  The  canal  for  S  leet  of  water  from  Wilmington  to  Fayette- 
ville,  120  miles,  is  alreadv  dug,  and  an  expenditure  of  $11,000  a  mile 
(or  $1,350,000)  will  comi-lete  it.  7,500,000  people  are  affected  by  the 
English  work;  2,000,000  by  the  proposed  American  work — or  $10 
per  capita  for  the  Englishman,  and  75  cents  for  the  American.  Our 
commercial  status  in  the  world  should  justify  at  least  this  small 
per  capita  contribution  to  such  a  large  body  ot  our  people,  for  we 
are  not  less  wealthy  than  England. 


I  do  not  know,  Mr.  Chairman  and  gentlemen,  how  far  you  may 
feel  influenced  by  the  sentiment  that  a  great  State  asks  you  for  this 
appropriation,  nor  how  far  its  relation  to  the  nation,  under  our  polit- 
ical system,  may  attract  your  attention  to  its  requests,  but  I  think 
I  have  made  out  a  "commercial  case"  for  the  proposed  legislation, 
and  I  would  ask  that  you  add  the  other  two  considerations  for  good 
measure. 


(SUB)     EXHIBIT    NO.    1. 

RESOLUTION  OF  THE  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY  OF  NORTH  CAR- 
OLINA REQUESTING  THE  SENATORS  AND  REPRESENTA- 
TIVES IN  CONGRESS  FROM  THAT  STATE  TO  EXERT 
THEIR  UNITED  INFLUENCE  TO  SECURE  THE  ADOPTION 
OF  THE  PLAN  FOR  IMPROVING  THE  CAPE  FEAR,  REC- 
OMMENDED BY  CAPTAIN  LUCAS,  U.  S.  A.,  AS  TRANSMIT- 
TED  TO  CONGRESS   BY  THE  SECRETARY  OF  WAR. 

Whereas,  the  maintenance  of  water  transportation  in  competi- 
tion with  rail  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  all  of  the  citizens 
of  the  entire  Cape  Fear  section;   and 

Whereas,  The  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the  City  of  Fayette- 
ville  and  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  Produce  Exchange  and  the 
Merchants  Association  of  the  City  of  Wilmington  have  secured  a 
survey  and  a  recommenaation  for  an  appropriation  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  Upper  Capf  Fear  River;    therefore, 

Resolved  by  the  Senate,  the  House  of  Representatives 
concurring: 

First.  That  our  Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress  be 
requested  to  exert  their  united  influence  to  secure  the  passage  of^an 


38  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

amendment  to  the  River  and  Harbor  Bill  at  this  session  authorizing 
the  adoption  of  the  plan  for  improving  the  Cape  Fear  River,  recom- 
mended by  E.  Van  C.  Lucas,  Corps  Engineers,  U.  S.  A.,  Wilmington, 
N.  C,  as  transmitted  to  Congress  by  the  Honorable  Secretary  of 
War. 

Second.  That  a  copy  of  this  resolution  be  forwarded  to  each 
of  our  Senators  and  Representatives. 

In  the  General  Assembly  read  three  times,  and  ratified  this  the 
8th  day  of  January,  A.  D.  1901. 

[Captain  Lucas's  plan  provided  for  slack-water  navigation  be- 
tween Wilmington  and  Fayetteville  so  as  to  secure  an  8  foot  chan- 
nel at  low  water.  The  bill  for  this  purpose  was  adopted  in  the  Con- 
ference Committee  of  the  Senate  and  House,  and  an  appropriation 
made  for  beginning  the  work,  ft  was,  however,  lost  along  with  the 
rest  of  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill,  on  March  4,  1901.  In  April,  1902, 
the  scheme  for  canalization,  as  above,  costing  $1,350,000  was  adopt- 
ed by  Congress,  and  $50,000  appropriated  for  buying  sites  for  locks 
and  dams.  The  reports  of  the  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Army,  General 
McKenzie,  for  1904,  190b  and  1906,  carried  this  scheme  among  his 
recommendations.] 


(SUB)    EXHIBIT   NO.  2. 


c... 


.^^'■ 


/  /' 


/ 


40  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of ^ 

This  map  represents  our  Atlantic  Seaboard.  The  territory 
which  is  traffically  tributary  to  a  port  that  has  been  made  a  "basing 
point  for  freight  rates,"  extends  half  way  from  it  to  the  nearest 
ports.  The  dotted  line  AA  divides  the  territoi-y  tributary  to  Rich- 
mond from  that  tributary  to  Fayetteville;  the  dotted  line  B  that  of 
Norfolk  from  Fayetteville;  and  the  dotted  line  CC,  that  of  Charles- 
ton from  Fayetteville.  The  intervening  territory  will  be  traffically 
tributary  to  Fayetteville  when  Fayetteville  is  restored  to  its  posi- 
tion as  a  basing  point  for  freight  rates,  which  it  had,  naturally, 
before  the  railroad  era 

The  ideal  port  is  situated  in  such  a  way  with  reference  to  its 
competitors  that  lines  drawn  at  right  angles  to  air  lines  between  it 
and  its  competitors  on  either  side,  will  diverge  as  they  proceed  in- 
land. In  other  words,  looking  inland,  the  ideal  port  will  be  at  the 
apex  of  a  salient  angle  formed  by  lines  connecting  it  with  its  neigh- 
bor on  the  one  side  and  its  neighbor  on  the  other  side. 

An  examination  of  the  map  will  show  that  no  port  or  point  on 
the  Eastern  seacoast  of  North  Carolina  can  be  situated  at  the  sal- 
ient of  lines  drawn  from  it  to  either  of  the  Virginia  ports,  on  the 
one  side,  and  to  Charleston  on  the  other.  On  the  contrary,  it  will 
lie  in  a  re  entrant  angle  so  pronounced  that  the  lines  of  traffic  di- 
vision will  converge  and  quickly  meet  in  the  Eastern  part  of  North 
Carolina  itself. 

In  the  case  of  the  inland  port  of  Fayetteville,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  lines  of  traffic  division  between  Richmond  and  Norfolk,  on  the 
North,  and  Charleston,  on  the  South,  diverge,  as  the  map  shows, 
and  they  enclose  a  territory  East  of  the  Alleghanies  containing 
over  two  millions  of  people. 

Our  jutting  sea-coast,  therefore,  has  rendered  it  impossible  for 
the  greater  portion  of  the  population  of  North  Carolina  (and  for 
that  of  some  adjacent  parts)  to  enjoy  freight  rates  on  equal  terms 
with  the  people  of  other  seaboard  States,  except  approach  be  had 
through  the  port  of  Fayetteville. 


(SUB)    EXHIBIT    NO.    3. 

EXTRACT  FROM  REPORT  OF  CONSUL  HALE  TO  DEPART- 
MENT OF  STATE,  JUNE  1,  1888,  DESCRIBING  THE 
GROUNDS  UPON  WHICH  PARLIAMENT  PASSED  THE 
ACT  PROVIDING  FOR  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE 
MANCHESTER   SHIP   CANAL. 

Before  an  act  could  be  obtained  for  the  construction  of  the  ship- 
canal  it  was,  amongst  other  things,  necessary  to  prove  that  the 
traffic  was  sufficient  to  justify  the  construction  of  so  great  a  work; 
and  it  may  be  of  interest  to  merchants  if  I  name  some  of  the  figures 
established  in  spite  of  the  most  able  opposition,  for  the  scheme  was 
opposed  by  all  of  the  railway  companies  and  by  the  enormous 
influence  brought  to  bear  by  Liverpool. 

In  my  general  report  upon  the  Manchester  Ship-Canal  under- 
taking I  stated  that  more  than  150  industrial  towns  would  be  affect- 


the  Cape  Fear  River  41 


ed  by  that  great  enterprise.  Exhibit  No.  1  is  a  map  upon  which  the 
area  is  indicated  within  which  these  industrial  towns  are  comprised, 
the  boundary  of  which  area  includes  7,500  square  miles.  This  is 
equal  to  one-sixteenth  of  the  entire  area  of  the  United  Kingdom. 

The  population  inhabiting  this  area  is  quite  7,500,000,  represent- 
ing about  one-fifth  of  the  total  population  of  the  United  Kingdom. 
The  principle  upon  which  the  boundary  line  of  this  area  has  been 
fixed  is  the  illustration  of  the  mean  distance  between  the  nearest 
ocean-steamer  ports  now  existing  and  the  ship-canal  which  is  now 
in  course  of  construction.  A  glance  at  this  map  will  show  that  the 
most  remote  point  from  the  canal  in  any  part  of  the  area  is  quite  as 
near  to  the  ship-canal  as  to  any  of  the  ports  named  on  the  map 
which  are  the  existing  ocean-steamer  ports. 

(Signed)    E.   .1.    HALE,    Consul. 


(SUB)    EXHIBIT    NO.   4. 

IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    CAPE    FEAR    RIVER. 

E.  J.  HALE,   Chairman,  Citizens'   Committee   on 

W.  L.  HOLT,  F.  R.  ROSE, 

R.  L.  WILLIAMS,         W.  M.  MORGAN,        Improvement  of  the 
W.  S.  COOK,  A.  H.  SLOCOMB, 

H.  C.  BASH.  J.  A.  KING,  Cape  Fear. 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  December  6,  1900. 

Dear  Sir: — Some  fifteen  months  ago  the  business  men  of  this 
section  began  to  agitate  the  subject  of  improving  the  Cape  Fear  riv- 
er between  this  city  and  Wilmington,  so  as  to' secure  a  uniform  min- 
imum depth  of  water  throughout  the  year  of  4,  6  or  8  feet.  Such 
control  of  internal  waterways  by  engineering  devices  is  common 
in  the  highly  civilized  States  of  Western  Europe,  and  it  seemed  to 
us  that  there  was  no  reason  why  our  great  country,  with  its  greater 
wealth,  should  lag  behind  those  naturally  less  favored  nations  in 
its  treatment  of  such  an  important  matter. 

In  North  Carolina  the  Cape  Fear  river  would,  of  course,  first 
attract  the  Government's  attention,  if  it  should  share  our  views  on 
the  general  subject,  because  of  the  commercial  history  of  the  river, 
and  of  Fayetteville  as  the  head  of  navigation  thereon,  in  the  period 
before  the  railroad  era  disturbed  natural  conditions.  Even  since 
that  era  set  in,  and  in  the  face  of  changed  conditions  of  transporta- 
tion which  it  established,  the  Government  has  felt  called  upon  to 
take  over  control  of  the  river  between  Wilmington  and  Fayetteville 
and  to  make  Fayetteville  a  port  of  entry.     Replacing  the  old  Cape 


42  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


Fear  Navigation  Company,  which  operated  under  the  State's  char- 
ter, it  has  sought,  by  a  by  stem  of  jetties,  to  arrest  the  effect  of  de- 
forestation upon  the  rivers  water  supply.  The  object  of  the  move- 
ment whicli  we  are  now  bringing  to  your  attention  is  to  induce  the 
Government  to  substitute  for  this  crude  and  insufficient  method  the 
modern  system  of  treatment  of  internal  waterways  which  is  em- 
ployed in  Europe  and  which  is  now  being  taken  up  in  some  portions 
of  this  country. 

The  proposition  to  this  end  at  once  engaged  the  attention  of 
Captain  Lucas,  the  enlightened  engineer  officer  of  the  United  States 
army  stationed  at  Wilmington.  At  his  suggestion,  an  appropria- 
tion for  a  preliminary  survey  of  the  river  between  Wilmington  and 
Fayetteville  was  secured  just  before  the  adjournment  of  Congress 
in  June  last.  The  survey  was  completed  in  November,  and  the  fact 
demonstrated  that,  by  the  construction  of  two  or  more  locks,  a  uni- 
form minimum  depth  of  water  4,  6  or  8  feet,  could  be  secured 
throughout  the  year,  according  to  the  appropriation  which  might  be 
made  by  Congress. 

The  movement  for  this  appropriation  has  been  chiefly  conduct- 
ed by  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  Fayetteville,  but  it  has  been 
heartily  taken  up  and  approved  by  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of 
Wilmington  and  by  the  Produce  Exchange  and  the  Merchants'  As- 
sociation of  that  city.  It  has  also  attracted  widespread  interest 
beyond  the  Cape  Fear  section,  and,  so  far  as  we  are  informed,  is  ap- 
proved throughout  the  State.  The  Raleigh  News  and  Observer,  for 
example,  said:  "The  improvement  of  the  Cape  Fear  becomes  a 
matter  of  great  importance  in  which  the  whole  State  will  co-operate 
with  Fayetteville."  More  recently.  Justice  Walter  Clark,  in  a  paper 
which  he  was  requested  by  the  Raleigh  Chamber  of  Commerce  to 
write  on  the  subject  of  the  commercial  needs  of  that  city,  urged 
the  importance  of  securing  "the  competition  of  water  rates  at  our 
"nearest  river  port,"  Fayetteville. 

On  the  15th  of  November  just  past.  Captain  Lucas  explained  to 
a  meeting  of  our  citizens  the  necessity  for  demonstrating  that  the 
interests  Involved  were  sufficient  to  justify  the  Government's  ac- 
tion, befoie  he  could  recommend  such  an  appropriation  as  would  be 
required.  The  undersigned  were  apppointed  a  committee  for  that 
purpose,  and  their  report  is  appended.  By  this  you  will  see  that  the 
"commercial  case"  is  proved  many  times  over,  and  that  the  pecun- 
iary interest  of  nearly  the  whole  population  of  Noith  Carolina,  as 
well  as  the  convenience  of  most  of  them,  is  involved. 

Attention  is  asked  to  the  obvious  fact  that  while  the  proposed 
improvement  would  result  in  a  re-location  of  the  points  of  freight 
dispersion  entirely  in  the  interests  of  North  Carolina,  the  effect 
upon  the  railways  within  our  borders  would  be  to  secure  eventually 


the  Cape  Fear  River  43 


a  large  accession  of  business  which  the  restoration  of  the  natural 
trade  route  of  tlie  State  would  create,  and  that  this  would  many 
times  repay  them  for  the  comparatively  small  business  which  they 
would  lose.     [See,  also,  note  herewith  enclosed.] 


Our  object  in  addressing  this  communication  to  you  is  to  ask 
your  earnest  co-operatior  with  us  in  bringing  every  available  influ- 
ence to  bear  on  Congress  in  behalf  of  this  great  work. 

We  request  a  reply,  with  sucih  suggestions  as  may  occur  to  you 
— and  have  the  honor  to  be,  dear  sir,  Yours  respectfully, 

E.  J.  HALE,  W.  L.  HOLT,  F.  R.  ROSE, 

R.  L.  WILLIAMS,    W.  M.  MORGAN,      W.  S.  COOK, 
A.  H.  SLOCOME,     H.  C.  BASH,  J.  A.  KING, 


REPORT   OF   THE   COMMITTEE. 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  November  21,  1900. 
Capt.  E.  W.  Van  C.  Lucas, 

Corps  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A., 
Wilmington,  N.  C. 
Sir: — The   undersigned,   the   committee   appointed   at   the   Citi- 
zens' Meeting,  held  on  the  occasion  of  your  visit  on  Thursday  last, 
have  taken  up  the  subjects  of  inquiry  suggested  by  you,  and  have 
pleasure  in  reporting  as  follows: 

The  Present  River  Traffic. 
The  tonnage  of  the  traffic  by  the  steam  boats  between  this  city 
and  Wilmington,  as  reported  to  the  United  States  Engineer's  offiee 
at  Wilmington  for  the  year  ending  December  31,  1899,  was  in  round 
numbers,  115,000.  We  are  informed  that  its  value  would  average 
ten  dollars  per  ton,  which  would  give  a  total  value  of  ?1, 150,000. 

Existing    Local    Railway    Traffic    Which    Would    Seek   the    River   if 

Improved. 
In  reply  to  printed  forms  issued  to  our  merchants,  traders  and 
manufacturers,  made  out,  where  necessary,  under  our  supervision, 
we  find  that  there  have  been  received  at  and  shipped  from  Fayette- 
ville by  rail  during  the  past  twelve  months,  112,295  tons  of  mer- 
chandise of  all  kinds,  valued  at  $5,812,614.  It  is  estimated  that  at 
least  three-fourths  of  this  would  at  once  be  diverted  to  the  River 
for  transportation,  if  the  proposed  improvements  were  made,  and 
the  speedy  and  regular  dispatch  of  freight  which  it  would  make 
possible   were   established. 

Traffic  From  a  Distance  Which  Would   Be  Diverted  to  the  River  If 
Fayetteville  Were  Made  a  "Basing  Point." 

We  are  informed  that  as  soon  as  the  proposed  improvement  in 


44  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


navigation  and  the  dispatch  of  freights  is  effected,  Fayetteville 
would  be  made  what  the.  Traffic  Managers  call  a  Basing  Point  for 
Freight  Rates.  The  effect  of  this,  we  are  informed,  will  be  to  cause 
all  railways  which  run  within  the  territory  thus  tributary  to  Fay- 
etteville to  base  rates  from  Fayetteville.  By  the  term  "the  terri- 
tory thus  tributary  to  Fayetteville,"  we  mean  all  the  country 
which  is  nearer  to  Fayetteville  than  to  any  other  Basing  Point, 
the  Railway  Commission  laws  requiring  the  rates  therein  to  be 
proportionately  less  than  to  such  other  Basing  Points. 

We  enclose  a  map  [see  page  9]  which  will  show  the  territory 
thus  delimited  as  tributary  to  Fayetteville.  The  Basing  Points 
nearest  to  Fayetteville  are  Richmond  and  Norfolk,  Virginia,  on  the 
North,  and  Charleston  South  Carolina,  on  the  South.  We  have 
drawn  lines  at  right  angles  across  air  lines  between  Fayetteville 
and  the  three  cities  named,  respectively,  and  at  points  midway  be- 
tween Fayetteville  and  them.  Line  A  is  the  dividing  line"  between 
Richmond  and  Fayetteville;  Line  B,  the  dividing  line  between  Nor- 
folk and  Fayette\ille;  and  Line  C,  that  between  Charleston  and 
Fayetteville.  it  will  be  seen  that,  while  the  northeast  section  of 
North  Carolina  falls  within  the  territory  allotted  to  Richmond  and 
Norfolk,  a  considerable  portion  of  southwest  Virginia  and  a  consid- 
erable portion  of  northeast  South  Carolina,  each  larger  than  the 
first  mentioned,  falls  within  the  territory  of  Fayetteville.  As  the 
improvements  referred  to  would  also  cause  Wilmington  to  be  made 
a  Basing  Point,  the  map  would  be  changed  thereby  to  a  comparative- 
ly small  extent,  the  effect  of  the  change  being  to  add  more  to 
the  joint  territory  of  Wilmington  and  Fayetteville. 

We  also  enclose  a  copy  of  a  United  States  Government  report 
on  the  Manchester  Ship  Canal  [see  Preface]  in  which  is  described 
the  manner  employed  in  Great  Britain  for  "proving  a  commercial 
reason  fo^-  the  granting  of  a  charter  by  Parliament  for  such  an 
undertaking.  We  shall,  in  this  case,  employ  the  same  method,  in  a 
general  way,  because  such  matters  in  the  older  countries  have  nec- 
essarily reached  a  morn  exact  standard.  An  important  considera- 
tion in  our  favor  in  relying  upon  such  a  method  is  the  fact  that  the 
Railway  Commission  laws  in  this  country  now  require  connecting 
lines  to  transport  freight  delivered  to  them,  whether  a  tariff  of 
through  rates  has  been  established  or  not,  and  as  before  mentioned, 
at  rates  proportioned  to  the  "length  of  haul." 

Without  entering  upon  a  consideration  of  how  far  westward  be- 
yond the  borders  of  North  Carolina  the  traffic  influence  of  the  pro- 
posed improvement  would  extend,  we  ask  attention  to  the  signifi- 
cant coincidence  that  the  territory  now  delimited  on  our  map  is 
almost  the  same  as  that  which  was  tributary  to  Fayetteville  in  the 
last  of  the  18th  century,  and  in  the  first  part  of  the  present  century 


the  Cape  Fear  River  45 


up  to  the  railroad  era.  Ihe  fact  that  Canova's  statue  of  Washing- 
ton was  brought  from  Italy  to  Wilmington,  was  thence  landed  at 
Fayetteville,  and  finally  hauled  overland  to  Raleigh  in  the  latter 
period,  is  merely  an  illustration  of  the  general  conditions  of  trans- 
portation at  that  time.  The  proposed  improvement,  therefore, 
would  not  establish  a  novel  condition,  but  would  restore  the  normal 
relation  of  the  Cape  Fear  to  a  vast  territory,  which  the  over-work- 
ing of  the  railroad  idea  and  the  effect  of  deforestation  upon  the 
water  courses,  have  disturbed.  Or,  we  may  state  the  case  this 
way:  that  it  would  be  the  re-establishment  of  normal  conditions, 
by  a  development  of  the  problem  of  transportation,  which  condi- 
tions had  been  disturbed  by  a  cruder  stage  of  the  movement. 

Within  the  limitations  of  our  map,  as  thus  restricted,  it  will 
be  seen  that  there  is  a  population  equal  to  that  of  the  State  of 
North  Carolina,  (some  1,900,000).  The  population  which,  by  a  lib- 
eral estimate,  might  be  considered  as  Involved,  in  one  way  or  an- 
other, in  the  production  of  the  existing  river  traffic  and  the  existing 
railway  traffic  divertible  to  the  river,  in  and  out  of  Fayetteville, 
may  be  said  to  include  that  of  Cumberland  county,  in  which  Fay- 
etteville lies  (30,000),  and  one-fourth  of  that  of  the  contiguous 
counties  of  Sampson  (7,000),  Bladen  (5,000),  Robeson  (9,000), 
Moore  (6,000),  and  Harnett  (4,000)— a  total  of  61,000.  The  terri- 
tory, then  on  the  map,  this  side  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  contains  a 
population  thirty  times  as  gerat  as  the  population  at  present  trib- 
utary to  Fayetteville. 

We  therefore  have  this  proposition: 

Tons  Value 

Existing    River    traffic 115,000     $1,150,000 

Three-fourths  (the  divertible  portion)  of  exist- 
ing railway  traffic  in  ana  out  of  Fayetteville — 3-4x 
112,295    tons    and    3-4x$5,812,614 84,221    -4,359,460 

In    round    numbers 200,000     $5,500,000 

30  times  these  figures  would  give  the  tonnage 
and  value  of  traffic  which,  other  things  being 
equal,  would  find  a  cheaper  route  to  and  from 
the  great  markets  by  way  of  the  Cape  Fear 
River  if  improved  as  suggested,  that  is,  30x 
200,000    tons    and    30x$5,500,000 6,000,000     $165,000,000 

In  this  connection,  it  is  worth  noting  that  Mr.  Walter  L.  Holt, 
one  of  the  chief  owner.^  of  cotton  mills  in  this  county  and  in  Ala- 
mance county,  a  hundred  miles  distant,  finds  that  he  gets  his  oils, 
dyes  and  machinery  and  ships  his  finished  products,  by  river  from 
his  Fayetteville  (Cumberland)  mills,  for  an  average  of  but  half  the 
freight  rate  which  he  is  obliged  to  pay,  by  rail,  to  and  from  his 
Alamance  Mills. 


46  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

The    Railway    Commission's    Figures. 

We  further  enclose  a  letter  from  the  North  Carolina  Corpora- 
tion (RailM'ay)  Commission  (see  envelope  marked  Exihbit  C),  from 
which  it  will  be  seen  that  the  actual  freight  traffic  movement  for 
the  past  year  over  the  roads  converging  at  Fayetteville  and  within 
the  territory  indicated  on  our  map,  amounted  to  1,497,979  tons — or, 
one-fourth  of  the  tonnage  $6,000,000)  which  we  have  estimated  by 
the  per  capita  method  of  the  whole  territory  east  of  the  mountains. 
It  will  be  observed,  also,  that  the  Commission's  letter  expresses  the 
hope  that  "the  Government  will  see  the  importance  of  this  station 
(Fayetteville),  which,  by  reason  of  its  situation,  should  again  be- 
come the  distributing  point  for  the  central  and  western  North 
Carolina  territory." 

Attention  may  also  be  called  to  the  fact  that  Fayetteville,  at 
the  head  of  navigation  one  hundred  miles  inland,  is  the  only  point 
on  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  between  Richmond  and  Charleston  (the 
present  Basing  Points)  which  is  situated  on  navigable  water. 

How  far  the  inertia  of  settled  routes  of  trade  may  act  in  re- 
straint of  the  possibilities  indicated  above,  is,  of  course,  a  matter  of 
conjecture. 

The   Commercial   Case. 

We  assume  that  while  the  Government  undertakes  works  of  the 
kind  now  proposed  for  the  public  benefit  and  without  expectation  of 
a  direct  return  for  the  outlay,  it  is  nevertheless  influenced  by  the 
same  considerations  which  influence  private  capitalists.  That  Is 
to  say,  if  the  cost  of  the  proposed  improvement  should  be  one  mil- 
lion dollars,  it  would  be  a  sound  commercial  undertaking,  commend- 
ing itself  to  the  Government  from  this  point  of  view,  if  the  addition- 
al traffic  secured  by  reason  of  the  outlay,  or  the  resultant  economies 
of  transportation  on  existing  traffic,  should  yield  5  per  cent,  on  that 
amount.  Five  per  cent,  on  one  million  dollars  is  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars. It  is  apparent  that  the  economies  of  transportation  which 
such  an  improvement  would  render  possible — twelve  months'  run- 
ning of  the  boats  instead  of  nine  months;  the  cheaper  proportionate 
handling  of  larger  loads,  etc.,  etc., — would  leave  a  margin  for  tolls 
for  use  of  the  improved  water-way,  if  the  work  were  done  by  a  pri- 
vate corporation,  far  in  excess  of  the  reasonable  rate  of  5  per  cent, 
on  a  million  dollars.  An  average  of  25  cents  a  ton  on  the  class  of 
freight  (115,000  tons)  now  carried  by  the  river,  and  of  50  cents  a 
ton  on  the  class  of  freight  (84,221  tons)  now  carried  by  the  railways 
in  and  out  of  Fayetteville  but  divertible  to  the  river,  would  produce 
a  revenue  of  $70,860,  or  over  7  per  cent,  on  the  existing  Fayetteville 
traffic  alone.     A  toll  of  10  cents  a  ton  would  more  than  pay  for  the 


the  Cape  Fear  River  47 


whole  investment  of  one  million  dollars  in  two  years,  if  all  the  traf- 
fic of  the  tributary  country  were  diverted  this  way.  Such  specu- 
lations as  to  what  might  be  done  if  the  river  were  the  property  of 
pirvate  capitalists  instead  of  that  of  the  Government,  are  useful  as 
indicating  hnw  very  far  within  the  margin  of  commercial  safety  the 
Government  would  be  acting  if  it  should  make  such  an  expenditure. 

We  desire  in  conclusion,  to  heartily  reiterate  for  ourselves  the 
expression  of  thanks  which  the  meeting  that  appointed  us  unani- 
mously voted  to  you,  sir,  for  the  interest  which  you  have  taken  in 
this  great  work. 

We  remain,  with  high  esteem. 

Yours  obediently, 

THE  COMMITTEE  AS  ABOVE. 


NOTE  TO   (SUB)   EXHIBIT  NO.  4. 

If  it  be  asked  why  Government  aid  for  such  a  large  scheme  of 
improvement  should  be  sought  for  this  particular  river,  a  glance  at 
a  map  of  the  Atlantic  Seaboard  States  will  answer  the  question.  It 
will  be  seen  that  the  coast  of  North  Carolina  juts  out  far  beyond 
the  general  coast  line;  that  Fayetteville,  at  the  head  of  navigation 
on  the  Cape  Fear  river,  and  100  miles  inland,  lies  on  an  air  line  be- 
tween the  seaports  of  New  York  and  Savannah;  that  it  is  50  miles 
further  west  (that  is,  further  inland,)  than  an  air  line  between  Nor- 
folk and  Charleston,  the  nearest  existing  "Basing  Point  for  freight 
rates";  that  the  Cape  Fear  is  the  only  river  in  North  Carolina,  with 
its  300  miles  of  seacoast,  which  flows  directly  into  the  sea;  that  it 
reaches  the  sea  at  a  point  where  the  abnormal  coast  line  has  re- 
ceded almost  to  the  general  line;  and  that  these  geographical  pecu- 
liarities result  in  placing  the  head  of  navigation  of  this  river  nearer 
to  a  large,  populous  an-i  highly  developed  territory  than  that  of  any 
other  river  South  of  the  James.  In  harmony  with  this  fact,  and  be- 
fore natural  conditions  were  disturbed  by  the  North-and-South-going 
railways  and  by  deforestation  at  the  headwaters  of  the  river,  , Fay- 
etteville was  the  shipping  and  receiving  port  for  the  immense  terri- 
tory comprised  in  Central  and  Western  North  Carolina  and  for  parts 
of  Virginia  and  South  Carolina;  its  banking  capital  in  1827,  when 
the  population  of  this  tributary  territory  was  but  half  a  million,  was 
a  million  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  whereas  its  present  banking 
capital  is  but  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  with  the  population  in- 
creased to  two  millions;  it  was  in  that  former  period  the  seat  of  the 
only  brand  of  the  Bank  of  the  United  States  in  the  State,  and  of 
an  Arsenal,  the  largest,  with  one  exception,  in  the  Union;   and  it 


48  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

has  since  been  distinguished  from  other  river  towns  by  being  made 
a  port  of  entry.  Finally,  by  this  last  named  act,  the  government  in 
effect  converted  the  rivei  from  Wilmington  to  Fayetteville  into  the 
harbor  of  Fayetteville,  and  placed  itself  under  obligation  to  treat 
the  port  of  Fayetteville  on  a  plane  with  other  ports  having  two  mil- 
lions of  people  dependent  on  them  for  economy  in  transportation. 


COPY  OF  LETTER  ADDRESSED  TO  THE  SENATORS  AND 
MEMBERS  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES 
FROM  NORTH  CAROLINA. 

CITIZENS'  COMMITTEE  ON  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  CAPE 

FEAR. 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  February  17,  1902 

Hon , 

Washington,  D.  C. 
Dear  Sir: 

A  newspaper  correspondent  has  stated  that,  at  the  recent  hear- 
ing of  the  North  Carolina  delegation  before  the  Rivers'  and  Har- 
bors' Committee  ,the  suggestion  was  made  that  the  granting  of  the 
appropriation  asked  for  for  the  improvement  of  the  Cape  Fear 
River  between  Wilmington  and  Fayetteville  would  render  it  nec- 
essary to  grant  "at  least  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  millions  of 
dollars  elsewhere".  We  would  ask  your  attention  to  the  fact  that 
the  reported  suggestion  is  without  weight,  for  the  following 
reason : 

1.  The  improvement  of  the  sundry  rivers  scattered  over  the 
United  States,  which  might  require  the  expenditure  of  $175,030,000, 
if  improved  in  the  manner  proposed  for  the  Cape  Fear,  would  es- 
tablish novel  conditions — that  is,  it  would  create  trade  routes  that 
never  existed  in  the  patt;  whereas,  the  proposed  improvencent  ot 
the  Cape  Fear  would  meiely  restore  natural  conditions —  that  is,  re- 
establish trade  routes  disturbed  by  an  incomplete  development  of 
the   problem   of   transportation. 

2.  Fayetteville  is  the  only  port  in  the  United  States  lying  near- 
er to  2,000,000  of  people  than  any  other  port,  which  is  not  a  "basing 
point  for  freight  rates",  the  condition  precedent  of  economical 
transportation  service.  Yet  it  is  the  only  port  so  situated  which 
has  received  nothing  from  the  government  calculated  to  render 
it  capable  of  becoming  auch  a  basing  point. 

8.  Fayetteville  is  precisely  on  all  fours  with  Richmond,  Vir- 
ginia. Both  are  up-river  ports,  Richmond  being  just  below  the  first 
falls  of  the  James  and  Fayetteville  just  below  the  first  falls  of  the 


the  Cape  Fear  River 49 


Cape  Fear,  and  both  having  a  large  back  country  dependent  upon 
them  for  economy  of  transportation.  There  are  no  other  ports  on 
the  seaboard  similarly  circumstanced;  yet  the  government  has 
granted  millions  since  the  war  (and  properly,  too,)  to  Richmond  in 
order  to  miprove  the  James  in  such  a  way  as  to  preserve  Rich- 
mond's relative  position  as  a  port,  and  not  a  cent  to  preserve 
Fayette  ville's. 

4.  The  appropriation  asked  for  for  the  Cape  Fear  is  distin- 
guished from  all  others  in  the  Union  in  the  respect  that  it  is  asked 
for  by  the  State— a  State  that  contains  one-fortieth  of  the  popula- 
tion of  all  the  States  and  about  one-twentieth  of  the  population  of 
all  the  Seaboard  States;  whereas,  its  total  asking  ($515,000) 
amounts  to  less  than  the  hundredth  part  of  the  sixty  millions 
proposed  for  the  total  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill. 

5.  Lastly,  the  appropriation  for  the  improvement  of  the  Cape 
Fear  was  included  in  the  bill  which  was  passed  by  the  House  a  year 
ago,  and  which,  nevertheless,  included  appropriations  for  none  of 
the  rivers  upon  which  the  alleged  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
millions  would  have  to  be  spent. 

Trusting  that  you  will  find  it  convenient  to  bring  the  foregoing 
points  to  the  attention  of  the  proper  parties,  if  need  be,  we 
remain,  dear  sir,  Yours  obediently, 

[Signed]         E.   J.  HALE,   Chairamn, 


RESOLUTION  OF  THE  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY  OF  NORTH  CAR- 
OLINA,    PASSED    FEBRUARY   6,    1905,    REQUESTING   THE 
SENATORS     AND      REPRESENTATIVES      IN      CONGRESS 
FROM    NORTH    CAROLINA    TO    USE    THEIR    UNITED    IN- 
FLUENCE   TO    SECURE    PROPER    APPROPRIATION    FOR 
CARRYING  OUT  THE  SCHEME  TO   IMPROVE  THE  CAPE 
FEAR   RIVER,  AS  RECOMMENDED  BY  GENERAL  McKEN- 
ZIE,  CHIEF  ENGINEER  OF  THE  ARMY. 
Whereas,  the  maintenance  of  water  transportation  in  competi- 
tion with  rail  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  entire  Cape  Fear 
section;  and  whereas,  the  citizens  and  commercial  associations  of 
FayetteviUe   and  Wilmington   secured   a   survey   and   rscommenda- 
tion  by  Capt.  E.  Van  C.  Lucas,  Corps  of  Engineers,  C.  S.  \.,  -or  the 
improvement   of  the   Upper   Car.e   Pear  River;    and,   whereas,   the 
scheme  as  recommended  for  the  canalization  of  saia  river,  contem- 
plating an  expenditure  of  $1,350  000,  was  adopts  i  by  Congress  m 
April,   1902,  aM  an  appropriat-ou  of  $50,000  made  for  purchasing 
sites  for  locks  ^d  dams;   and,  whereas.  General  McKenzie,  Chief 
Engineer  of  thg  army,  has  recommended  in  his  report,   both  last 


50  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

year  and  this,  that  this  great  scheme  he  carried  out  as  adopted; 
therefore : 

Resolved  by  the  Senate,  the  House  of  Representatives 
concurring: 

First.  That  our  Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress  be 
requested  to  use  their  united  influence  to  secure  the  passage  of  an 
amendment  to  the  River  and  Harbor  Bill  at  this  session,  making  a 
liberal  appropriation  for  this  great  scheme  for  improving  the  upper 
Cape  Fear  River. 

Second.  That  a  copy  of  this  resolutioE.  be  se?  .  to  each  of  our 
Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress. 


the  Cape  Fear  River     51 


EXHIBIT  B. 


IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  UPPER  CAPE  FEAR 


Hearing  By  Corrmittee  of  the  Board  of  Engineers. 


(From  Fayetteville  Observer,  February  21,  1907.) 
IMPROVEMENT   OF  THE    CAPE    FEAR. 


Presentation    of   the    Case,   January   24,    1907. 

Lt.  Col.  R.  L.  Hoxie,  Major  Chester  Harding,  Capt.  W.  J.  Harden,  and 

Assistant  Engineer  A.  H.  Weber, 

Committee  of  the  Board  of  Engineers  on  Rivers  and  Harbors 

Sitting  in  Fayetteville,  N.  C. 
Sirs: 

In  respoiise  to  the  invitation  of  Major  Joseph  E.  Kuhn,  Corps  of 
tenginfeera,  1  present  to  you  a  printed  pamphlet,  published  by  or- 
mt  Qi  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  this  city,  covering  the  commer- 
fcial  part  of  the  project  for  the  canalization  of  the  Cape  Fear  River, 
and  demonstrating,  we  think,  that  such  a  work,  if  constructed  as 
a  commercial  undertaking,  would  pay  interest  on  many  times  the 
cost  ($1350,000)  estimated  by  the  Engineers  in  charge.  This  Is 
enclosed  in  an  envelope  marked   Envelope  A. 

I  also  present  a  letter  from  the  Governor  of  North  Carolina 
addressed  to  you  in  my  care,  setting  forth  the  commercial  neces- 
sity of  this  project,  and  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  him  addressed 
to  me  at  Washington,  which,  by  his  request,  I  presented  to  the 
recent  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress.  These  two  letters 
are  enQlosed  in  an  envelope  marked  Envelope  B.  ^   ^    j-    ,„ 

And  I  present  a  letter  addressed  to  me  from  Mr.  J.  B.  Under- 
^vood,  one  of  our  leading  business  men,  showing  the  lnfl"^^;=^°^ 
the  location  of  Fayetteville  upon  freight  rates  at  and  to  the  interior 
and  suggesting  the  immense  saving  which  would  be  ^^^^';\'lll^ 
people  of  interior  North  Carolina  and  some  adjacent  parts,  f  navi^ 
gation  of  the  Cape  Fear  River  to  this  point  were  made  continuous 
throughout  the  year,  instead,  as  now,  of  lasting  but  nine  months 
out  of  the  year.     This  letter  is  enclosed  in  an  envelope  marked 

Very^respe^ctf^ny, 

CSh^irraan  CitJ_aens'  Committee  on  Improvement  of  the  Cape  Fear. 


52  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


(ENCLOSED)    ENVELOPE  A. 


The  printed  pamphlet  referred  to  in  the  presentation,  is  "Ex- 
hibit A"  herewith. 


(ENCLOSED)    ENVELOPE   B. 


Letters  of  the  Governor  of  North  Carolina. 


STATE  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA,  EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT, 

Raleigh,  December,  4.  1906. 
Major  E.  J  Hale,  Arlington  Hotel,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Dear  Sir:  It  is  with  deep  regret  that  I  find  that  I  cannot  at- 
tend the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  which  meets  in 
Washington  on  the  5th  and  6th  inst.,  but  being  unable  to  do  so  on 
account  of  oflBcial  duties,  I  write  you  this  letter,  which,  if  you  see 
fit  you  can  read  to  the  Congress,  showing  to  them  how  deeply  inter- 
ested the  people  of  North  Carolina  are  in  this  movement. 

Our  people  most  heartily  approve  the  object  of  the  Rivers  and 
Harbors  Congress,  which  they  understand  is  for  the  awakening  of 
the  public  mind  to  the  imperative  necessity  of  supplementing  the 
overworked  capacity  of  railroads  by  improving  our  waterways,  and 
our  people  do  highly  appreciate  the  great  work  in  this  behalf  al- 
ready accomplished  by  the  Congress.  Improved  waterways  would 
lift  from  the  railroads  the  burden  of  the  heavy,  slow-moving  and 
less  profitable  class  of  freight,  and  would  stimulate  production  and 
also  greatly  increase  the  profits  of  production. 

The  annual  appropriation  for  the  Army  and  Navy  amounts  to 
nearly  three  hundred  million  dollars,  and  the  appropriation  for  com- 
merce amounts  to  only  nineteen  million  dollars  annually,  and  yet 
one  is  to  provide  means  of  destruction,  while  the  other  is  to  add 
to  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  our  country.  The  former  may  be 
necessary  to  ward  oE  danger,  but  the  last  named  appropriation  is 
essential  for  the  encouragement  of  commerce,  the  cheapening  of 
transportation  and  for  increasing  the  profits  of  production.  I 
therefore  most  heartily  join  in  the  movement  for  an  increase 
of  the  appropriation  for  Rivers  and  Harbors,  and  think  that  fifty 
million  dollars  a  year  for  this  great  purpose  would  be  a  small 
amount  in  comparison  with  the  benefits  that  would  accrue  there- 
from. Ordinarily  I  am  opposed  to  bond  issues,  but  if  a  bond  issue 
Is  necessary  to  bring  about  the  completion  of  this  great  work 
speedily,  then  I  am  sure  our  people  would  favor  that  course,  rather 
than  wait  for  an  improvement  that  must  com^  slowly  from  the  small 


the  Cape  Fear  River 53 


appropriations  heretofore  made. 

Locally,  the  people  of  North  Carolina  are  much  interested  in 
this  work— notably  in  regard  to  the  canalization  of  the  Cape  Fear 
River — a  great  State  work  which  has  been  repeatedly  endorsed  cy 
the  General  Assembly  of  our  State,  and  which  has  also  been  ap- 
proved by  the  government.  Also  they  are  interested  in  the  improve- 
ment of  the  haa-bors  at  Wilmington  and  Beaufort  and  other  points, 
as  well  as  in  the  Inland  Waterway,  a  great  inter-State  project, 
which  would  be  of  immense  value  in  protecting  the  shipping  on  the 
coast  off  Hatteras. 

In  conclusion,  let  me  say  that  I  believe  the  whole  country  wauld 
be  benefitted  by  a  large  appropriation  for  this  great  work,  and  I 
therefore  urge  your  Congress  to  continue  the  general  course  out- 
lined by  you  at  former  meetings  and  do  everything  in  your  power  to 
get  such  appropriations  as  are  reasonable  and  sufficient  for  this 
great  work. 

You  may  say  to  the  Congress  that  later,  if  by  appearing  before 
any  committee  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  I  can  in  any 
way  aid  them  in  what  they  are  undertaking,  it  will  give  me  great 
pleasure  to  do  so  both  individually  and  as  Governor  of  the  State. 

'Wishing  for  the  Congress  a  successful  and  profitable  meeting 
that  may  bear  fruit,  I  am, 

R.  B.  GLENN,  Governor. 


STATE  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA,  EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT, 

Raleigh,  January  14,  1907. 
To  the  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors,  care  of  Major 

E.  J.  Hale,  Fayetteville,  N.  C. 
Gentlemen: 

The  people  of  North  Carolina  look  upon  the  restoration  of  the 
Cape  Fear  River  to  its  former  relation  to  the  State,  which  deforesta- 
tion and  an  abnormal  development  of  the  railway  idea  have 
changed,  as  a  commercial  necessity.  Formerly,  nearly  all  of  middle 
and  western  North  Carolina,  and  even  a  part  of  Virginia,  received 
their  supplies  and  shipped  their  products  through  Fayetteville,  and 
I  therefore  urge  you  to  carefully  consider  this  matter,  and  if,  in 
your  judgment  feasible  and  profitable,  do  everything  in  your  power 
looking  to  the  improvement  of  the  Cape  Fear  River.  As  Governor 
of  North  Carolina,  having  gone  all  over  the  State,  I  can  truly  say 
that,  in  my  judgment,  there  is  nothing  that  could  happen  to  our  peo- 
ple at  the  present  time  that  would  be  of  more  permanent  benefit  to 
a  larger  section  of  the  State  than  this  improvement  of  one  of  our 
largest  rivers,  and  therefore  I  earnestly  recommend  this  project  to 
your  committee,  and  hope  that  it  may  so  impress  itself  upon  you 


54  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

that  you   will  do  this  needed  work  for  the  benefit  of  the  entire 
people  of  the  State.  Yours  very  truly, 

R.  B.  GLENN,  Governor. 

(ENCLOSED)    ENVELOPE  C. 

UNDERWOOD  &  CO., 
Importers',   Manufacturers'   and   Millers'   Agents. 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  January  22,  1907. 
Hon.  E.  J.  Hale,  City. 

My  Dear  Sir:  Replying  to  your  kind  letter,  we  beg  to  submit 
to  you  the  following  rates  that  apply  by  rail  from  Baltimore  to 
Greensboro,  Winston  and  Raleigh;  the  rates  on  the  same  class  of 
goods  via  water  to  Wilmington  and  thence  via  rail  to  the  same 
points,  and  then,  in  contrast,  the  rates  from  Baltimore  via  Wilming- 
ton up  the  Cape  Fear  River,  and  then  via  rail  to  the  same  points. 
These  show,  if  the  navigation  of  the  Cape  Fear  River  was  so  that 
the  boats  could  run  anything  like  continuously  how  much  money 
the  interior  part  of  North  Carolina  could  be  saved  by  shipping  the 
goods  this  way.  But  the  river  is  so  uncertain  that  the  trade  has 
been  demoralized  in  shipping  the  goods  by  river,  owing  to  the  ex- 
treme low  water  in  it.  This,  of  course,  is  very  unsatisfactory  to  the 
interior  merchants  in  ordering  goods  by  water,  and  a  vast  amount 
of  shipping  via  the  river  is  held  back  until  there  is  better  water  to 
be  had.  We  have  discussed  this  matter  before  with  the  jobbing 
trade  in  the  interior  of  the  State,  and  especially  with  the  Greens- 
boro and  Winston  merchants. 

Below  we  give  you  a  sample  of  the  line  of  goods  that  we  have 
shipped  the  past  fall: 

Car  load  lots  of  canned  goods  from  Baltimore,  via  Norfolk  or 
Richmond  on  to  Raleigh,  is  44  cents  per  100. 

Car  load  lots  from  Baltimore  to  Wilmington  via  rail  to  Fayette- 
ville, and  on  to  Raleigh  is  44  cents  per  100. 

Car  load  lots  from  Baltimore  via  Wilmington  up  the  Cape  Fear 
River,  care  Raleigh  and  Southport  R.  R.  to  Fayetteville  to  Raleigh, 
is  35  cents  per  100. 

You  see  very  quickly  by  the  above  rates  that  this  does  not  only 
apply  to  Raleigh,  but  applies  also  to  territories  adjacent  to  this 
point  ,in  a  radius  of  about  200  miles. 

We  have  not  time  at  present  to  look  up  these  local  rates  out 
of  thi.«  city  by  rail  to  points  like  Greensboro,  Winston,  North  Wilkes- 
boro  and  other  western  North  Carolina  points. 

We  would  be  pleased  to  go  over  this  matter  with  you  in  detail 
more  fully,  but  at  present  we  are  not  in  a  position  to  do  so. 


the  Cape  Fear  River  55 


We  are  very  much  interested  in  the  matter  ourselves  and  it 
not  only  affects  the  welfare  of  the  people  at  large,  but  it  would  be 
beneficial  to  the  entire  jobbing  trade  of  North  Carolina.  Such  points 
as  Jonesboro,  Sanford,  Dunn,  Smithfield,  Hope  Mills  and  Raeford, 
are  now  shipping  their  goods  through  Fayetteville,  although  the 
time  is  very  much  longer  on  account  of  the  delay  of  the  water  now 
in  the  Cape  Fear  River.  It  looks  to  us  like  the  deepening  of  the 
Cape  Fear  River  would  revolutionize  the  freight  rate  in  all  central 
and  western  North  Carolina. 

You  will  notice  that  the  Cape  Fear  River  is  navigable  for  about 
120  miles  in  the  interior  of  the  State  from  Wilmington.  This,  you 
might  say,  is  about  the  same  distance  nearer  to  the  western  part 
of  the  State  than  any  other  water  point,  and  the  opening  of  the 
river  to  continuous  navigation  would  lower  the  freight  rates  on  in 
and  out  going  shipments. 

At  the  present  time  we  are  in  a  position  to  receive  salt,  sugar, 
molasses,  rice  and  coffee  at  a  very  low  rate  from  New  Orleans,  and 
New  York,  thereby  saving  the  masses  of  the  people  a  good  deal  of 
money.  The  reason  why  this  class  of  goods  seeks  the  Cape  Fear 
River,  even  now,  is  because  certainty  and  rapidity  is  not  a  factor 
so  essential  as  to  affect  the  lower  water  rates,  as  indicated  above. 

Hoping  that  you  will  succeed  in  your  undertaking  in  this  matter, 
and  again  assuring  you  that  anything  in  our  power  we  can  do  to 
assist  you,  we  are  at  your  command.  Yours  very  truly, 

(Signed)  UNDERWOOD  &  CO. 


LETTERS  TO  THE  BOARD  OF  ENGINEERS  AFTER  THE  HEAR- 

ING. 

CITIZENS'  COMMITTEE 
ON  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  CAPE  FEAR. 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  January  30,  1907. 

Lt.  Col.  R.  L.  Hoxie,  Major  Chester  Harding,  Captain  W.  J.  Barden, 

Assistant  Engineer  A.  H.  Weber. 
Committee  of  the  Board  of  Engineers  for  Rivers  and  Harbors,  which 

sat  in  Fayetteville,  on  January  24,  1907. 

Sirs:  In  compliance  with  my  promise  to  secure  and  send  to 
you,  within  a  week's  time  from  date  of  the  hearing  had  by  you  here, 
information  covering  details  of  statements  made  in  the  case  as  pre- 
sented to  you,  and,  as  far  as  practicable,  to  bring  the  statistics  there-, 
in  up  to  date,  I  desire  to  report  as  below.  I  may  say,  however,  in 
explanation  of  our  offering  the  statistics  of  1900,  that  we  considered 
the  commercial  case  proved  many  times  over  by  them,  and  relied^ 


56  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

also,  upon  the  fact  that  the  Government  had  twice  (1901  and  1902) 
considered  them  sufficient.  We  are  much  gratified  by  the  oppor- 
tunity which  you  now  afford  us  of  offering  the  remarkable  increases 
■appearing  below  as  in  the  nature  of  proof  a  fortiori. 

Statistics    of    Industries,    Traffic,    Banks,    Etc. 

On  page  6  of  the  pamphlet  presented  to  you,  paragraph  4,  refer- 
ence was  made  to  the  numerous  industries  established  here 
shortly  before  that  time  (1900).  Secretary  Rose,  of  our  Chamber  of 
Coramerce,  read  to  you  the  list  of  them,  and,  in  a  letter  mailed  to 
you  on  yesterday,  he  has  brought  the  list  up  to  date.  He  has  added 
numerous  other  statistics  in  his  possession — of  new  industries,  rail- 
way traffic,  banks,  etc. — all  of  them  showing  remarkable  increases. 
I  will  thank  you  if  you  will  mark  Mr.  Rose's  letter  Exhibit  1. 

Improvement  of  the  Cape  Fear  in  the  Last  of  the  18th  and  the  First 
Half  of  the  19th  Century. 

On  page  G  of  the  pamphlet,  paragraph  2,  reference  was  made  to 
the  wagon-borne  traffic  that  found  its  port  at  Fayetteville  in  the 
last  of  the  18th  century  and  the  first  half  of  the  19th.  Col.  C.  W. 
Broadfoot's  remarks  at  the  hearing  covered  this  point  in  detail. 
These  he  has  written  out,  and,  at  my  request,  mailed  to  you  yester- 
day.    Please  mark  his  letter  Exhibit  2. 

Tonnage  and  Value  of  Traffic  in  and  Out  of  Fayetteville. 

On  page  6  of  the  pamphlet,  paragraph  7,  and  page  11,  paragraph 
8.  the  tonnage  of  traffic  on  the  river  is  stated  at  115,000,  and  the 
value,  $1,150,000,  or  $10  per  ton.  This  estimate  of  value  was  made 
by  the  committee  of  our  business  men  whose  names  are  signed  to 
the  report  (of  November  21,  1900).  We  are  informed  by  the  engineer 
in  charge  at  Wilmington  that  the  tonnage  has  increased  to  150,000. 
It  is  probable  that  the  average  value  per  ton  is  considerably  in- 
creased, as  much  of  the  increase  in  tonnage  is  for  the  supplies  and 
output  of  the  cotton  mills. 

On  page  11  of  the  pamphlet,  last  paragraph,  the  manner  in 
which  our  figures  for  the  railway  tonnage  (112,295)  and  value 
($5,812,614)  were  obtained,  is  described.  Such  statistics  were  not  to 
be  had  from  the  railways  at  that  time.  The  railway  officials  now 
give  us  these  figures: 
Atlantic  Coast  Line.  Tons        246.650 

For  which  they  received  in  freights    $      900,000 

If  of  the  same  value  as  reported  by  our  merchants 

and  mills  in  1900,  viz:   an  average  of  $52  per  ton, 

that  would  be  a  total  of $12,825,800 


the  Cape  Fear  River  57 


Raleigh  &  Southport,   Recently  Opened. 

Receipts  at  the  rate  of $        60,000 

Upon  same  basis  as  tliat  of  A.  C.  Line  that  would 

give  tons.. ...  16,200 

Ditto,  value $      842,400 

Traffic  in  the  Territory  Covered  by  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  With- 
in North  Carolina,  Fayetteville  Being  the  Centre  of  the  Sys- 
tem    in  This  State. 

On  page  13  of  the  pamphlet,  paragraph  2,  a  letter  from  the 
North  Carolina  Corporation  Commisson  is  referred  to  as  put  in 
as  an  exhibit.  I  did  not  retain  a  copy,  but  will  procure  one  from  the 
Commission,  if  desired.  The  original  will  no  doubt  be  found  in 
the  printed  records  of  the  War  Department.  I  enclose  herewith 
(marked  Exhibit  3)  a  letter  from  the  Commission  just  received, 
which  gives  the  same  statistics  up  to  date.  Your  attention  is  asked 
to  the  fact  that  the  commission  says  in  this  letter,  that  Fayette- 
ville "wiU  be  die  distributing  point  for  a  great  majority  o?  •^'iis 
freight"  (2,917,301  tons)  "if  the  Cape  Fear  River  should  be  made 
navigable  to  Fayetteville."  That  is  to  say,  of  course,  that  it  will 
come  by  the  river  for  distribution  hence,  or  be  gathered  by  rail  here 
for  outgoing  shipments  by  the  river.  If  we  consider  "a  great  ma- 
jority" of  2,917,301  tons  to  be  2,000,000  tons,  that  alone  would  be 
1,600,000  more  tons  than  the  present  river  and  rail  traffic, 
combined   (412.850)  or  four  times  a,?  much. 

The  letter  of  Messrs.  Ti'nderwood  &  Co.  (herjwith  marked  Ex- 
hibit 4).  will  indicate  what  an  enormous  saving  to  shippers  and  con- 
auiiiers  will  be  effected  by  such  a  re-location  of  freight  shipments  in 
Hiis  neighborhood,  and  the  letter  of  Mr.  M.  W.  Thompson,  of 
f^reensboro,  (herewith  marked  Exhibit  5)  will  indicate  the  same 
with  respect  to  the  vast  traffic  controlled  by  the  Southern  Railway 
In  central  and  western  North  Carolina.  The  letters  of  Messrs.  Un- 
derwood and  Thompson  can  be  duplicated  indefinitely. 

Discriminations  in  Favor  of  Virginia  and  Other  Basing  Points  in 
Traffic  Which  Would  at  Once  Seek  the  Port  of  Fayetteville  if 
the  Proposed   Improvement  of  the  Cape  Fear  Were  Made. 

On  page  12  of  the  pa,mphlet,  reference  is  made  to  the  rulings 
of  the  Inter-state  Commerce  Commission  as  affecting  our  proposi- 
tion. It  appears  that  such  rulings,  if  they  exist,  are  not  enforced.  Aa 
the  violation  of  the  law  of  equal  rates  per  ton  per  mile  operates,  as 
shown  by  Mr.  Thompson's  letter  (Exhibit  5),  against  the  persons  in- 
habiting this  State,  the  movement  to  seek  Fayetteville  as  the  port 
of  central  and   western   North   Carolina  would   be  accelerated   by 


58 Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

such  discriminations.  As  shown  by  the  note  appended  to  the  map 
(page  9  of  the  papmphlet  and  elsewhere  therein),  the  reason  why 
those  parts  of  North  Carolina  are  forced  to  ship  through  Virginia 
ports  is  because  our  jutting  seacoast  results  in  placing  such  ports 
much  nearer  to  them  than  any  port  on  the  seacoast  of  North  Caro- 
Una. 

The  divertible  portion  of  the  existing  railway  traffic,  referred  to 
on  page  11  of  the  pamphlet,  last  paragraph,  is  an  estimate  by  our 
business  men  based  on  the  nature  of  the  freight.  I  think  Messrs. 
Underwood's  and  Thompson's  letters  clearly  indicate  that  nearly 
all  \sould  be  transferred  to  the  river. 

The  increase  of  traffic  in  and  out  of  Fayetteville  since  1900 
appears  as  follows: 

1900.  1906 

Tons  by  river 115,000  150,000 

Tons  by  rail 112,295  262,850 


227,295  412,850 

This  result  is  largely  attributable  to  the  effect  of  the  mere  en- 
dorsement of  this  scheme  by  the  Government  in  1901  and  1902. 

If  I  have  not  covered  all  the  points  desired.  I  will  be  greatly 
obliged  if  you  will  telegraph  me  to  that  effect,  indicating  what  is 
needed. 

I  remain,  sirs,  with  great  respect, 

STours,  obediently, 
E.  J.  HALE, 

Chairman  Citizen's  Committee  on  Improvement  of  the  Cape  Fear. 

Dear  Sirs:  I  desire  to  say  that  our  people  greatly  appreciate 
the  courtesy  and  patience  exhibited  by  you  and  your  associates 
jirhile  here.  That  is  expressed  in  the  enclosed  account  of  your 
visit  which  appeared  in  the  local  columns  of  our  town  paper. 

Yours  very  truly, 

E.  J.  HALE. 


(ADDENDUM    TO    THE    FOREGOING.) 

CITIZENS  COMMITTEE 
ON  IMPROVEMENT   OF  THE  CAPE   FEAR. 

Fayetteville,  N.  C,  February  6,  1907. 

Lt.  Col.  Hoxie,  and  Associates  of  the  Board  of  Engineers,  Colorado 
Building,   Washington. 
Sirs: — Please  add  to  the  table  of  increase  of  traffic  in  my  letter 


the  Cape  Fear  River  59 


of  January  30th: 

1900.  1906. 

Value    by    river $1,150,000  $1,500,000 

Value  by  rail 5,812,614  13,668,200 


$6,962,614  $15,168,200 

That  shows  an  increase  in  the  six  years,  of  nearly  120  per  cent, 
upon  the  value  basis  of  1900,  viz:  $10  per  ton  for  the  river  traffic 
and  $52  pepr  ton  for  the  rail.  The  valuation  of  $10  by  river  was,  as 
already  stated,  an  estimate  made  by  our  business  men;  while  that 
of  $52  by  rail  was  the  actual  average  of  the  sums  of  the  values 
turned  in  to  this  committee,  as  described  on  page  11  of  the  pamph- 
let, last  paragraph.  We  have  not  had  time  to  make  a  similar  can- 
vass of  our  merchants,  etc.,  this  year.  The  values  would  probably 
be  considerably  higher  now,  in  harmony  with  the  advance  in  price 
of  all  commodities. 

As  will  be  seen,  the  river  tonnage  increased  during  the  six 
years  30  per  cent.;  while  the  rail  tonnage  is  increased  81  per  cent. 
The  difference  seems  to  accentuate  the  necessity  for  better  ser- 
vice by  the  river. 

A  special  dispatch  from  Washington  to  the  Raleigh  News  and 
Observer,  dated  January  30,  says: 

"The  argument  offered  in  opposition  to  the  Upper  Cape  Feai 
project  is  that  the  government  has  not  for  several  years  undertaken 
the  canalization  of  rivers." 

Such  an  argument  would,  I  think,  be  entirely  misapplied.  If 
I  am  not  misinformed,  the  canalization  of  rivers  heretofore  under- 
taken by  our  government  has  been  confined  to  the  portion  above  the 
natural  head  of  navigation,  that  is,  above  the  first  falls  or  rapids. 
The  proposed  canalization  of  the  Cape  Fear,  on  the  contrary,  like 
tliat  of  the  Weser  above  Bremen,  is  merely  the  substitution  of  slack- 
water  canalization  for  the  jetty  or  dyke  system  which  deforestation 
had  rendered  insufficient  for  the  maintenance  or  restoration  of 
the  normal  condition.  In  the  case  of  the  canalization  of  our  inter- 
ior rivers — that  is  the  portion  above  the  first  falls  or  obstruction — 
navigation  has  been  opened  where  it  did  not  exist  before.  An  at- 
tempt to  establish  such  navigation  was  made  by  the  State  of  North 
Carolina  upon  Deep  River,  an  affluent  of  the  Cape  Fear,  and  the 
portion  of  the  Cape  Fear  above  the  first  falls  near  Fayetteville 
and  nearly  one  million  dollars  was  expended  upon  the  effort. 
Such  attempts,  like  the  construction  of  canals  or  the  canalizing  of 
the  interior  rivers  formerly  favored  by  the  general  government 
are  properly  the  objects  of  local  or  State  enterprise.  The  circum- 
stance that  the  government  has  abandoned  the  policy  of  spending 


60 Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

money  upon  undertakings  of  that  kind,  as  stated  by  the  Washing- 
ten  correspondent  above  quoted,  is  merely  evidence  of  its  recog- 
nition of  the  impossibility  of  equitably  distributing  such  favors  over 
the  whole  country. 

On  page  13  of  the  ramphlet,  paragraph  5,  it  is  said  of  calcula. 
tions  based  on  estimated  prospective  traffic:  "Such  speculations  as 
to  what  might  be  done  if  the  river  were  the  property  of  private 
capitalists  instead  of  thai  of  the  government  are  useful  as  indicat- 
ing how  very  far  within  the  margin  of  commercial  safety  the  govern- 
ment would  be  acting  if  it  should  make  such  an  expenditure." 

I  observe  that  the  law  which  created  your  honorable  body,  and 
to  which  you  called  our  attention  at  the  hearing,  provides  that  you 
may  consider,  in  addition  to  existing  commerce  and  the  other  fac- 
tors mentioned,  commerce  that  is  "reasonably  prospective."  That 
admits  the  element  of  judgment.  Our  North  Carolina  Corpora- 
tion (Railway)  Commission  is  not  only  the  official  body  in  this 
State  which  is  charged  with  the  duty  of  informing  themselves  upon 
all  questions  of  traffic  movements  in  it,  but  they  are  able  and  con- 
scientious men  of  long  experience  in  that  partitcular.  They  con- 
sltrtute,  there  the  best  authority  which  it  would  be  possible 
for  us  to  offer  to  you  on  the  subject  in  hand. 

I  would  ask  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  their  declaration 
(already  quoted  by  me,  in  part,   from  their  letter  of  January  28, 
enclosed  with  my  letter  of  January  30  and  marked   Exhibit  3)   is 
without  qualification  and  is  as  follows:     "If  the  Cape  Fear  River 
should  be  made  navigable  to  Fayetteville,  this  city  will  be  the  dis- 
tributing point  for  the  great  majority  of  this  freight."     (3,368,441 
tons.)     Estimating  this    "great    majority"    at    2,000,000    tons,  as  in 
my  former  letter,  and   applying    to  the    lowest  of  the  savings  in 
freight  charges  given  in  Messrs.   Underwood  &  Co.'s  letter,    (Ex- 
liibit  4,  ibidem),  to-wit:  9  cents  per  100,  or  $1.80  prr  ton,  we  have: 
Existing  traffic     on     the      Atlantic     Coast      Line, 
which,   according   to     the     North     Carolina    Cor- 
poration   (Railway)    Commission,  would  be  divert- 
ed to  the  Cape  Fear  River  if  improved  as  propos- 
ed— tons  per  annum 2,000,000 

Saving  per  ton $1.80 

Saving  per  annum $3,600,000 

Tliat  (s  to  say,  the  saving  to  the  people  on  the  portion  of  ex- 
isting Atlantic  Coast  Line  traffic  which,  according  to  the  highest 
autbori-'y  eytant  would  be  d 'verted  to  the  Capn  Fear  River  upon 
completion  of  th*)  proposei  improvement,  would  be  nearly  three 
HniriS  as  much  in  one  year  as  the  whole  cost  ($1,350,000)  of  the  im- 
provement. What  would  be  the  divertible  portion  of  the  Southern  Rail- 


the  Cape  Fear  River  61 


v,ay  traffic  (3,846,298  tonfe  within  North  Carolina),  andiOf  the  Seaboard 
Air  Line  traffic  (1,690,497  tons  within  North  Carolina)  cannot  be 
eatimated  with  «qual  authority,  as  I  bave  not  asked  for  the  Commis- 
sion's opinion  upon  that.  The  total  tonnage  within  the  State 
transported  by  the  three  systems  is  (using  the  figures  above)  8,905,- 
236,  and,  if  we  apply  the  same  measure  to  the  whole  which  the  Com- 
mission applied  to  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line's  part,  we  should  have 
nearly  6,000,000  tons  that  would  be  diverted  to  the  river.  It  is 
worth  recalling  that  6,000,000  was  the  traffic  tonnage  of  the  terri- 
tory delimited  as  traffically  tributary  to  Fayetteville,  which  we 
estimated  by  the  per  capita  method  employed  in  the  pamphlet,  page 
7,  paragraph  1. 

While  the  Government  has  bound  itself,  by  its  act  of  buying 
control  of  the  Cape  Feai  River  in  1882  and  making  Fayetteville  a 
port  of  entry,  to  take  adequate  care  of  the  river's  navigation,  and 
while  the  figures  given  above  demonstrate  that  the  Government 
would  be  justified  many  times  over  in  expending  the  comparatively 
small  sum  of  $1,350,000  in  doing  so,  I  have  no  doubt  that  capitalists 
would  eagerly  re-purchase  the  control  of  the  river,  if  the  Govern- 
ment would  sell  it,  and  construct  the  proposed  works  and  maintain 
them  for  the  profit  that  would  result.  A  toll  of  1  cent  per  100  lbs. 
deducted  from  the  9  cents  saving  per  100  lbs.  as  shown  by  Messrs. 
Underwood  &  Co.'s  letter  (Exhibit  4,  enclosed  with  my  letter  of 
January  30,)  upon  the  divertible  Atlantic  Coast  Line  tonnage  alone 
would  produce  $400,000,  or  5  per  cent,  on  $8,000,000. 

[The  figures  above  given  for  the  Southern  Railway  and  for  the 
Seaboard  Air  Line  are  taken  from  the  1903  report  of  the  Corporation 
Commission.  I  have  not  the  later  ones  at  hand.  On  the  basis  of 
increase  of  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  traffic,  the  figures  should  be 
some  33  per  cent,  greater.] 

Again  asking  you  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  improvement  asked 
for  rests  on  the  same  footing  with  harbor  improvements,  and  that 
it  is  completely  different  from  the  other  river  and  canalization 
schemes  presented  to  the  Government — in  the  respects  (1)  that  it 
applies  only  to  the  naturally  navigable  portion  of  the  river;  and  (2) 
that,  in  consequence  of  the  peculiar  configuration  of  the  North 
Carolina  seaboard,  two  millions  of  our  population  will  continue  to 
be  deprived  of  the  enjoyment  of  freight  rates  on  equal  terms  with 
the  population  of  adjacent  States  until  the  Cape  Fear  River  is 
made  navigable  to  Fayetteville  throughout  the  year — I  remain, 
sirs,  Yours  respectfully, 

E.   J.   HALE, 

Chairman   Citizen's   Committee   on   Improvement   of  the   Cape 


Fear. 


62  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


(SUB)    EXHIBIT   1 


This  is  the  letter  of  Secretary  Rose,  of  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, which  was  printed  in  The  Observer  of  February  5,  1907.  It 
is  shown  therein  that  the  postofRce  receipts  for  1906  were  $17,000 
as  compared  with  $8,000  in  1900;  bank  deposits  $1,200,000  in  1906, 
$250,000  in  1900;  bank  clearings,  $24,000,000  in  1906,  $4,500,000  in 
1900  and  the  railroad  freight  receipts  $960,000  in  1906,  $450,000  in 
1900.  There  are  reported,  also,  eight  cotton  mills  with  an  aggre- 
gate of  88,000  spindles  and  2,400  looms,  and  two  silk  mills  with 
12,000  spindles  and  400  looms,  besides  a  great  number  of  other 
industrial  establishments. 


(SUB)    EXHIBIT  2. 


This  is  the  letter  of  Col.  C.  W.  Broadfoot,  already  referred  to, 
giving  the  interesting  history  of  the  old  Cape  Fear  Navigation 
Company  from  1789  to  1882,  when  the  Government  bought  it  out 
for  $100,000  and  assumed  the  duty  of  giving  continuous  navigation 
from  Wilinington  to  Fayetteville. 


(SUB)    EXHIBIT  3. 


DEPARTMENT 

of  the 

NORTH   CAROLINA   CORPORATION    COMMISSION. 

Raleigh,  January  28,  1907. 

Hon.  E.  J.  Hale,  Fayetteville,  N.  C. 

Dear  Sir: — I  fully  intended  giving  you  the  statements  called 
for  by  Saturday's  mail,  but  the  Legislative  Committees  called  on 
me  for  statements  that  were  urgent  and  my  time  was  fully  taken  up. 

The  information  that  you  desired,  that  is,  the  tonnage  of 
freights  moved  over  the  railroads  to  and  from  Fayetteville,  covering 
points  contiguous  thereto.  The  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad  enters 
Fayetteville  from  four  different  directions,  and  I  enclose  you  state- 
ment showing  the  tonnage  of  freights  for  this  road  for  the  State. 

If  the  Cape  Fear  River  is  made  navigable  to  Fayetteville  this 


the  Cape  Fear  River 


63 


city  would  be  the  distributing  point  for  a  great  majority  of  this 
freight.  There  is  one  other  road,  the  Raleigh  and  Southport,  which 
has  reached  Fayetteville  during  the  past  year.  I  cannot  give  you 
the  tonnage  for  this  road,  but  it  develops  a  section  not  heretofore 
reached  by  a  railroad,  and  although  only  60  miles,  it  will  be  a  good 
distributor. 

If  I  have  not  mado  myself  clear,  or  if  there  is  any  other  in- 
formation I  can  furnish  you,  command  me.  I  have  the  honor  to 
be,  sir,  Yours  very  respectfully, 

H.   C.   BROWN,   Clerk. 

Atlantic  Coast   Line   Railroad  Company,  for  Year   Ending  June  30, 

1906. — Freiglit  Traffic   iVIovement — State  of  North  Carolina. 

(Company's   Material   Excluded.) 


COMMODITY. 


Freight 
Originating 
on  this 
Road 


Freight 
Received 

From 

Connectinf 

Roadt  and 

Other 

Carriers 


Total  Freight 
Tonnage 


Products   of   Agriculture 

Grain    

Flour    

Other   mill   products 

Hay  

Tobacco   

Cotton    

Fruits   and   vegetables 

Cotton    seed 

Melons   and   cantaloupes 

Products    of    Animals 

Live    stock 

Dressed    meats 

Other  packing  house  products 

Poultry,  game  and  fish 

Wool     

Hides    and    leather 

Products    of    Mines 

Phosphate    

Anthracite  coal 

Bituminous  coal   

Coke    

Ores    

Stone,  sand  and  like  articles. 
Products  of   Forests 

Cross-ties    

Lumber    

Wood    

Logs 

Manufactures 

Petroleum  and  other,  oils. . . . 

Sugar    


Whole  Tons 
15,912 

8,713 
12,911 

7,245 
20,622 
49,431 
34,594 
34,735 

7,238 

2,394 


Whole  Tons 
57,262 
42.010 
30.714 
29,343 
12,168 
77,670 
123,351 
19,256 
19.075 

6,989 


5.214 


8,860 
522,380 
115,088 
377,513 

12.231 
2,703 


15,525 


2,996 

371,480 

8,058 

91,582 

6,045 

5,807 


Whole  Tons 
73.174 
50.723 
43,625 
36,568 
32.790 
127,101 
157.945 
53.991 
26,313 

9,383 


26.148 

2.775 

19 

1,428 

31,595 

250,166 


20,739 

11,856 
893,860 
123,146 
469.095 

18,276 
8,510 


64 


Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


Naval    stores 

Iron,  pig  and  bloom 

Iron   and   steel   rails......... 

Castings    and    machinery .... 

Bar  and  sheet  metal 

Cement,   brick   and   lime 

Agricultural    implements 

Wagons,  carriages,  tools,  etc. 
Wines,  liquors  and  beers.... 
Household  goods,  furniture.. 
Fertilizers    and    materials.... 

Merchandise     

Cotton   factory    products 

Cotton-seed    oil 

Miscellaneous 
Other  commodities  not  men- 
tioned   above 

Total   tonnage,    N.    C 

Total  tonnage,  entire  line 


18,988 

1,513 
3,182 
1,496 

45,234 

221 

2,358 

693 

3,839 

189,933 

55,514 

8,024 

14,419 


51,774 
1,642,708 
7,070,320 


6,395 

25,383 

9,156 

9,156 

7,321 

8,834 

29,646 

32,828 

9,227 

10,723 

38,843 

84,077 

1,568 

1,789 

4,310 

6,668 

7,141 

7,834 

4,477 

8,316 

119,401 

309,334 

140,364 

195,878 

27,801 

35,825 

16,614 

31,033 

79,763 

131,537 

1,725,733 

3,368.441 

2,321,881 

9,892,201 

(SUB)    EXHIBIT  4. 
This  is  the  letter  of  Messrs.  Underwood  &  Co.,  given  above. 


(SUB)    EXHIBIT  5. 


THE   GREENSBORO   ICE   AND   COAL   COMPANY, 


W.  E.  V/orth,  President. 


M.  W.  Thompson,  Treasurer. 


Greensboro,  N.  C,  January  29,  1907. 

Mr.  E.  .J.  Hale,  Fayetteville,  N.  C. 

My  Dear  Sir:  Your  letter  of  January  28  to  Major  Charles  M. 
Stedman  has  been  referred  to  me,  and  I  am  sending  you  on  a  sep- 
arate sheet  some  of  the  specific  discriminations  against  Greens- 
boro which  apply  with  practically  the  same  force  to  all  other  cities 
in  the  State,  except  those  upon  the  coast  or  with  water  facilities. 
North  Carolina  has  the  reputation  of  having  the  highest  freight 
rates  in  the  country,  and  it  is  true  that  the  systems  which  have 
divided  up  the  State  and  control  its  shipping,  will  ship  from  the 
north,  through  the  State  to  points  south,  from  the  south  through 
the  State  to  points  north,  from  Norfolk,  Richmond  and  Virginia 
points  through  the  State  to  points  west,  from  the  west  through 
the  State  to  points  east,  cheaper  than  they  will  allow  such  ship- 
ments to  stop  within  the  borders  of  the  State.     The  situation  at 


the  Cape  Fear^lve^____ 


compete    .„   an   .-;-^-- ^'T      Z^Z     t.e  G..e„. 
Greensboro     on     a     better     basis     o  ^  Greensboro, 

boro  houses,  and  on  some  goods  ''^'J^^lflJ^^^^^  ^^ms  can  buy 
making  the  two  shipments  cheaper  t^^;^J;^Jf  ^/^^-gj^^.     Some  of 

r;r.ror.;:er:rrrr  ■,  r  ..l.  .e. 

consigned  to  Greensboro  direct.  „„,,ntrv  during  the 

Whereas,  with  mosl  railway  systems  in  the  "'™"y  ""'  ^ 

past  ten  years  there  has  been  a  ^rZVn^rZT^rj:^^^ 
the  southern  Railway  has  "a-sedo  hold  its  rates  in 

,n  a  great  many  cases  there  ,s  a  '"f "  J'";^,J°„  ,,,„e  funds 
ot  the  southern  I'-'-^;, 'l-^^^tT  K^ge  to %«'»  the  building 
necessary  to  acquire  additional  """^f  ^/°  "  „J^^„,e,  but  the 
ol  competitive  "^  "l^Mr 'p  ey  t'^  .u"bHc  has  shown 
rat'e'rl'mt.:  ha':  bTef sTe'nt  In  ta.lng  care  ot  the  property  and 

providing  for  its  present  needs.  doubtful 

some  of  the  P^P-ties  acquired  -  the  South  we    ^^^  ^^^^^^^^ 

value  and  were  acquired  on  pretty   ^^P^n 

guarantees,  and  the  ^ ^^^^  '„";  ctm  of  thlse  other 
care    of    themselves    are    taxed    e-.ira    on 

""'^neTolutlon  o,  the  freight  problem  '-«  be  the  cr  at.  o^ 
,  number  oMnta-^  J^^^-'  ^t te  -nctnV"  t^  Z  U 
"L  r;::=ce:r  ln";:cuH:g  an  ap^opnatlon  to  open  to  navigation 
the  Cape  Fear  River  to  >our  city,  ^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^^ 

[Signed]         M.  W,  THOMPSON, 
Below  are  the  freight  rates  on  the  first  six  classes  from  and 

to  different  points: 

Via   Greensboro. 

Evansvllle,  Ind.,   to  Lynchburg        76%  65      49      33      2S 
Lynchburg   Va.,    to    EvansvlUe        67      58        8      33      28      2^ 

=ro,'K^c',°trrars  -i-e    Jfs     Z      H      65      56      U 
Via   Greensboro. 

Lynchburg,  Va.,  to  St.  Louis.  Mo.     7         63  37  ^^ 

St.  Louis,  MO.,  to  Greensboro        131     112      89  ^^ 

Greensboro (  N.  C,  to  St.  Louis      134     114       95 


^6 


Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  ol 


Via   Greensboro. 

Louisville,  Ky.,  to  Lynchburg,  Va.  62 
Lynchburg,  Va.,  to  Louisville,  Ky.  54 
Louisville,  Ky.,  to  Greensboro  9^ 
Greensboro,  N,  C,  to  Louisville  120 
Richmond,  Va.,  to  Charleston,  S.  C,    65 


Charleston,  S.  C,    to  Richmond,  Va.  65 
Charleston,   S.   C,  to  Greensboro     80 
Greensboro,  N.  C,  to  Charleston    85       74 
Lynchburg,  Va.,  to  Savannah,  Ga.     76 


Savannah,  Ga.,  to  Lynchburg,  Va.  76 
Savannah,  Ga.,  to  Greensboro  90 
Greensboro,  N.  C,  to  Savannah       90 


531/2 

40^ 

271/2 

23 

18  Vz 

47 

38 

25 

22 

18 

79 

64 

47 

40 

31 

98 

80 

57 

50 

39 

55 

48 

40 

30 

25 

55 

48 

40 

30 

25 

70 

60 

49 

40 

32 

74 

61 

49 

42 

32 

64 

57 

50 

41 

32 

64 

57 

50 

41 

32 

78 

64 

51 

44 

34 

78 

64 

51 

44 

34 

Freight  on   Coal. 

From  Bluefield,  W.  Va.,  to  Greensboro,  N.  C,  360  miles,  $2.30  per 
ton    . 

From  Bluefield,  W.  Va.,  to  Wilmington,  N.  C,  via  Greensboro,  540 
miles,   $2.05   per  ton. 

From  Bluefield,  W.  Va.,  to  Chicago,  111.,  658  miles  $2.05  per  ton. 

From  Bluefield,  W.  Va.,  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  350  miles,  $1.00  per 
ton. 

From  Bluefield,  W.  Va.,  to  Norfolk,  Va.,  367  miles,  $1.50  per  ton. 

From  Bluefield,  W,  Va.,  to  Norfolk,  Va.,  367  miles  $1.35  per  ton, 
when  for  export. 


(From  Fayetteville  Observer,  December  1,  1909.) 
IMPR0VEMEN1    OF   THE   UPPER   CAPE   FEAR. 


Report  of  Captain   Earl   I.  Brown,  Corps  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A.,  In 
Charge  of   District. 

We  have  received  from  Captain  Earl  I.  Brown,  Corps  of  Engin- 
eers, U.  S.  A.,  in  charge,  his  very  interesting  and  elaborate  report 
upon  the  impovement  of  the  rivers  and  harbors  in  this  district, 
which  is  coterminous  with  North  Carolina. 

The  part  which  concerns  us  of  the  Upper  Cape  Fear  is  as 
follows : 


the  Cape  Fear  River 


67 


The  Cape  Fear  Above  Wilmington,   N.  C. 

The  original  condition  when  work  began  was  a  channel  badly 
obstructed  above  Kelly.-  Cove  by  logs  snags  etc.,  and  with  go v^ 
erning  low  water  depths  of  4  feet  to  Kelly  s   Cove  and   1   toot  to 

^'^^Th7  original  project  of  January  26,  1881,  was  to  clear  the  river 
to  Favetteville  and  obtain  a  continuous  channel  by  jettymg  and 
dredgfng,  estimated  in  July,  1893,  to  cost  $275,000  for  a  channel 
4  teet  deep  to  Elizabethtown  and  3  feet  deep  to  FayetteviUe.  It  is 
about  30  per  cent,  completed.  ,     ^   -r  iq    iqoo     i«   tn 

The  existing  project,  adopted  by  act  of  June  13,  1902,  , is  to 
obtain,  by  canalizing,,  a  low-water  depth  of  8  feet,  to  FayetteviUe. 
at  an  estimated  cost  of  $1,350,000.  .     ^  r,       >,„„„ 

In  consequence  of  this  new  project  the  former  project  has  been 
abandoned,  excepting  for  the  maintenance  of  the  natural  channel, 
pending  the  construction  of  locks  and  dams 

Amount  expended  on  project  of  1881  to  June  30,  1^09.  ^^^  ^^ 

For    improvement 2o',06o'.80 

For  maintenance ' ^ 

Total  $154,497.77 

Amount  expended  on  project  of  1902  to  June   30,  1909,         ^^^  ^^ 
for  improvement ' 

Total  $169,180.00 

The  wo;k'done  during  the  year  consisted  in  removing  obstruc- 
tions  in  the  river  between  the  twenty-sixth  and  twenty-seventh  mile 
board  caused  by  the  caving  of  banks,  in  the  partial  construcnon 
of  a  new  hull  for  the  snag-boat  H.  G.  Wright  for  use  on  this  and 
neighboring  streams,  inspection  and  office  work^  A^vntPd    to 

The  additional  appropriations  asked  for  will  be  devoted  to 
continuing  the  work  of  maintenance  by  oP^^'^J^^^^f^  "^^f  ^^   R,„ff 

At  present  the  low-water  depths  are  S.^^et  to  Kings  Bluff 
38  miles  above  Wilmington;  2  I'i  feet  to  pizabeth  own  73  m^ea 
above  Wilmington;  and  2  feet  to  FayetteyiUe.  f  ^^^^f^^^^^^t^g^^^ 
mineton  Favetteville  is  the  head  of  navigation.  Low-water  stages 
Sievtl  from  Iwo  to  fou.  months  during  each  Summer  and  freshets 
which  raise  the  water  level  from  15  to  50  feet  at  Faye"evxlle  (theef^ 
fects  lower  down  being  less  marked),  us  ually  occur  as  often  as  once  a 
month  Xring  the  rest  of  the  year.     They  do  not  occur  with  any 

'^'^Thfcomirrce^for  1908  was  estimated  at  137.620  tons,  estimated 
to  be  worth  $3,960,235. 

Locks  and  Dams. 

The  act  of  June  13,  1902.  appropriated  $50,000  for  the  purchase 
of  sites  for  locks  and  dams.  A  careful  survey  ««^«"f  ^,°,^^?J^^\*?Js'' 
eleven  months'  time,  was  made  for  the  purpose  of  ^^f  J^^^J^f  «^ 
This  survey  has  been  completed,  the  sites  tentatively  located,  a 
number  of  borings  made  at  each  site,  the  locations  approved,  and 
prices  obtained  on  all  the  lands  necessary.  imnrove- 

The  balance  of  this  appropriation  for  lock  and  ^am  ^"^P^^!^. 
ment   $35,317.ff7,  has  been  covered  into  the  surplus  fund,  m  accord 


68 Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

ance  with  section  10  of  the  sundry  civil  act  of  March  4,  1909. 

Abstracts  of  the  titles  were  made  and  turned  over  to  the 
United  States  district  attorney  for  examination.  The  titles  to  the 
land  needed  at  lower  site  were  approved  and  the  land  purchased. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  Congress  has  directed  a  re-examination 
of  this  river,  with  a  view  to  a  possible  modification  of  the  pro- 
ject, the  purchase  of  the  other  land  has  been  delayed,  as  its 
purchase  may  not  be  required. 

No  estimate  is  submitted  for  further  work  on  the  existing 
project  for  locks  and  dams,  pending  action  by  Congress  on  the 
modified  plan  for  this  improvement  contained  in  House  Document 
No.  890,  Sixtieth  Congress,  first  session,  which  is  based  on  the 
re-examination  authorized  by  the  river  and  harbor  act  of  March  2, 
1907. 

The  expenditures  ti  June  30,  1909,  on  said  project  for  surveys, 
other  preliminaries,  and  purchasing  land  at  lower  site,  amounted 
to  $14,682.23. 

The  expenditures  for  the  year  were  for  inspection  and  office 
expenses. 
Cape  Fear  River  Above  Wilmington   (Open  Channel  Improvennent). 

July  1,  1908,  balance  unexpended $7,371.56 

June    30,    i909,    amount    expended    during   fiscal    year    loi 

maintenance  of  improvement 3,205.00 

July   1,   1909,  balance   unexpended 4,166.56 

July  1,  1909,  outstanding  liabilities 500.62 

July  1,  1909,  balance  available 3,665.94 

Consolidated. 

July    1,    1908,    balance    unexpended $13,573.95 

Amount  allotted  from  appropriation  by  river  and  harbor 

act  approved  March  3,  1909 10,000.00 

June   30,   1909,   amount   expended   during  fiscal   year,   for 

maintenance  of  improvement 5,871.34 

July  1,  1909,  balance  unexpended 17,702.61 

July  1,  1909,  outstanding  liabilities 1,063.28 

July  1,  1909,  balance  available 16,639.33 

Amount   that   can   be   profitably   expended   in   fiscal   year 
ending  June  30.  1911,  for  maintenance  of  improvement 

exclusive  of  the  balance  unexpended  July  1,  1909 14,000.00 

Submitted  in  compliance  with  requirements  of  sundry  civil  act 

of  June  4,  1897,  and  of  section  7  of  the  river  and  harbor  act  of  1899. 
Cape   Fear   River  Above   Wilmington^    Locks  and    Dams. 

July  1,  1908,  balance  unexpended 35,526.11 

June   30,   1909,   amount   evpended   during   fiscal 

year:     For   works   of  improvement $      208.34 

Covered  into  the  surplus  fund 35,317.77 

■ — •     35,526.11 

Amount  (estimated)  required  for  completion  of  existing 

project $1,300,000.00 


the  Cape  Fear  River 


69 


APPENDIX. 


Cape  Fear  River  Above  Wilmington*  N.  C. 

The  project  of  1881  has  been  about  30  per  cent,  completed,  and 
no  work  under  it,  except  for  maintenance,  has  been  done  for  sev- 
eral years.  It  has  been  superceded  by  the  canalization  project  of 
1902,  but  pending  the  completion  of  the  latter  main*"enance  work  on 
the  former  project  is  being  kept  up. 

The  work  of  the  year  consisted  in  removing  obstructions  in 
the  river  between  the  twenty-sixth  and  twenty-seventh  mile  boards 
caused  by  the  caving  of  the  banks,  making  repairs  to  snag  boat  H. 
G.  Wright,  inspecting  riA  er,  collecting  and  platting  gauge  records 
from  1888  to  1908,  inclusive,  collecting  commercial  statistics,  mov- 
ing houses  in  yard  at  Wilmington,  and  the  partial  construction  of  a 
new  hull  for  the  snag  boat  H.  G.  Wright,  which  is  used  on  this 
and  neighboring  streams. 

The  cost  of  the  year's  work  was  $3,705.62,  of  which  $1,954.78 
was  for  constructing  snag-boat  hull,  and  the  balance  for  the  other 
work. 

Canalization. — The  expenses  of  the  year  on  the  canalization 
project  amounted  to  $208.34,  and  were  for  preparing  gauge  sheet 
and  office  expenses. 

Commercial  Statistics  for  Year  Ending  December  31,  1908. 

Class  of  Goods                                               |  Tons 

Brick     .|  4,475 

Cotton     I  4,000 

Cotton    seed |  700 

Cotton-seed    meal |  400 

Eggs    I  10 

Fertilizers     |  41,800 

General    merchandise |  10,600 

Grain     (  240 

Hay    I  250 

Hogs     I  30 

Lumber |  6,250 

Machinery   |  50 

Poultry     I  20 

Peanuts    |  100 

Potatoes     I  30 

Rosin     I  2,880 

Shingles     |  610 

Turpentine,    crude I  900 

Turpentine,    spirits |  850 

Tar    I  1,050 

Timber    (square,    round    and    gum  | 

logs)    I  36,576 

Wood    j  6,500 

Cattle    I  50 

Cross-ties     |  16,250 

Poles   and   Piles I  3,000 


Total     I  137,620 


Price  1 

Value 

$  3 

$   13.425 

210 

840,000 

20 

14,000 

25 

10,000 

300 

3,000 

22 

919,600 

140 

1,484,000 

35 

8,400 

20 

5,000 

100 

3,000 

10 

62,500 

100 

5,000 

200 

4,000 

60 

6,000 

20 

600 

25 

72,000 

8 

4,880 

28 

25,200 

145 

123,250 

15 

15,750 

5 

182,880 

4 

26,000 

60 

3.000 

7 

113,750 

5 

15,000 

3,960,235 

70  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


EXHIBIT  C. 


HOW  TO  PREVENT  FREIGHT  DISCRIMINATIONS  AGAINST 

NORTH    CAROLINA. 

(Paper  read  by  E.  J.  Hale,  Editor  of  The  Fayetteville  Observer, 
at  the  Convention  held  at  Charlotte,  April  23,  1908.) 

Mr.  President  and  Brethren  of  the  North  Carolina  Press  Asso- 
ciation: 

At  the  meeting  in  Fayetteville  on  November  1st,  held  for  the 
purpose  of  greeting  Mr.  John  A.  Fox,  Special  Director  of  the  Na- 
tional Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress,  and  of  electing  delegates  to 
the  Waterways  convention  at  Wilmington  on  November  5th,  the 
following  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted  and  ordered  to  be 
presented  to  the  Wilmington  convention,  viz: 

"We  hail  with  pleasure  the  awakening  of  our  people  in  the 
business  centres  of  our  State  to  the  vast  importance  of  Concerted 
Action,  directed  to  the  improvement  of  our  waterways  by  the  Gov- 
ernment, and  we  heartily  thank  the  Hon.  John  A.  Fox  for  his  zeal 
and  intelligent  efforts  in  this  behalf. 

"We  note  with  pleasure  that  our  sister  city  of  Wilmington,  af- 
ter most  cordially  seconding  our  demand  for  an  eight-foot  river  at 
all  seasons  between  us— as  approved  by  the  Board  of  Engineers  for 
Rivers  and  Harbors;  adopted  by  the  Government,  which  has  made 
an  appropriation  for  beginning  the  work  thereon;  and  thrice  unani- 
mously endorsed  by  the  Legislature  of  North  Carolina— is  about  to 
put  in  a  claim  for  a  thirty-foot  channel  from  Wilmington  to  the 
open  sea,  as  a  further  and  most  important  step  towards  cheap 
water  transportation  for  herself,  for  us  and  the  entire  people  of 
our  State,  And  we  pledge  to  her  our  hearty  aid  in  this  commend- 
able work. 

"The  Chairman  of  this  meeting  is  requested  to  appoint  dele- 
gates to  attend  the  Convention  at  Wilmington  on  November  5th, 
with  instructions  to  press  by  all  honorable  means  any  plans  or 
resolutions  looking  to  thf,  speedy  completion  of  the  work  on  the 
Upper  Cape  Fear  to  which  the  General  Government,  our  State  Gov- 


the  Cape  Fear  River  71 


ernment  and  our  peopl?!  generally  are  already  committed.  This 
to  be  done  by  our  delegates  without  antagonizing  the  project  of 
our  sister  city  for  a  deep  water  gateway,  which  we  heartily  ap- 
prove as  only  secondary  in  point  of  time  and  importance  to  our  own 
particular  work." 

The  convention  at  Wilmington  met  on  November  5th,  and  was 
composed  of  prominent  men  from  all  parts  of  North  Carolina  as 
well  as  from  cities  of  other  States.  Among  those  present  were: 
Senator  Overman  and  Congressmen  Small,  Kitchin,  Godwin  and 
Page,  and  representative?  from  commercial  or  waterway  associa- 
tions in  Wilmington,  Fayetteville,  Southport,  Charlotte,  Salisbury, 
Greensboro,  Durham,  Goldsboro,  Wilson,  Rocky  Mount,  Wadesboro, 
Chadburn  and  Burgaw.  There  were  also  present  two  of  the  Board 
of  Directors  of  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress,  Messrs. 
Fox  and  Hale,  and  the  Vice-President  for  North  Carolina,  Mr. 
Chadbourn. 

The  result  of  their  deliberations  was  embodied  in  the  following 
resolutions,  which  were  unanimously  adopted,  viz: 

"Resolved  that  this  meeting  highly  approves  the  splendid  work 
of  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress;  that  it  take  a  leaf 
out  of  its  book  and  organize  a  North  Carolina  branch  thereof;  and 
that  such  branch  organize  tion  adopt  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the 
National  organization  so  far  as  applicable  to  the  State. 

"That  we  hail  with  pleasure  the  awakening  of  our  people  in  the 
bsuiness  centres  of  our  State  to  the  vast  importance  of  concerted 
action  directed  toward  the  improvement  of  our  waterways  by  the 
government;  and  that  we  heartily  thank  the  patriotic  business  men 
or  Wilmington  for  the  notable  and  efficient  contribution  which  they 
have  made  to  the  movement  for  a  North  Carolina  gateway  by  call- 
ing together  and  securing  the  aT'Smbling  of  such  a  representative 
body  as  this,  and  the  Hon.  John  A.  Pox  for  the  very  able  work 
which  he  has  done  throughout  the  State  in  aid  of  it. 

"That  we  pledge  ourselves  to  do  all  in  our  power  to  secure  an 
adequate  appropriation  by  the  government  for  the  completion  at 
the  earliest  possible  moment  of  the  great  project  of  a  30-foot  chan- 
nel from  the  sea  to  Wilmington,  recognizing  the  fact,  impressed 
upon  us  by  over  a  hundred  years  of  experience  as  well  as  by  the 
teachings  of  science,  that  nature  has  fixed  the  gateway  of  middle 
and  Western  North  Carolina  by  and  through  the  Cape  Fear  river. 

"That  we  heartily  endorse  the  project  for  securing  eight  feet 
of  water  at  all  seasons  from  Wilmington  to  Fayetteville,  which  has 
thrice  been  unanimously  endorsed  by  the  Legislature  of  North  Car- 


72  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


olina,  approved  by  act  of  Congress,  and  for  the  beginning  of  which 
an  appropriation  has  been  made,  and  that  we  pledge  our  best  en- 
deavors to  secure  an  appropriation  for  its  immediate  completion. 

"That  we  give  our  hearty  endorsement  to  the  great  scheme  of 
an  Inter-State  Inland  Waterway,  for  a  part  of  the  North  Carolina 
section  of  which  the  government  has  already  made  an  appropria- 
tion; and  to  the  general  purpose  of  improving  the  navigation  of  all 
our  rivers  and  streams  further  and  further  inland  as  speedily  as 
possible,  to  the  end  that  we  may  secure  for  North  Carolina  the 
advantages  which  such  a  system  has  provided  for  the  European 
nations  and  for  some  portions  of  our  own  country." 


The  foregoing  was  the  culmination  of  efforts  begun  in  1899  to 
restore  to  Fayetteville,  Wilmington  and  the  Cape  Fear  River  as 
a  gateway,  the  control  oi  shipments  to  and  from  Middle  and  West- 
ern North  Carolina,  which  the  war  of  1861-5  and  the  overworking 
of  the  railroad  idea  since  has  transferred  to  the  Virginia  gateway. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  resolutions  adopted  by  the  North 
Carolina  Waterways  Contention  at  Wilmington  give  precedence,  in 
point  of  time  demanded  for  its  completion,  over  all  other  North 
Carolina  River  and  Harbor  projects,  to  the  securing  of  a  minimum 
depth  of  8  feet  of  water  at  all  seasons  from  Wilmington  to  Fayette- 
ville. That  was  done  because  the  Convention  recognized  the  Cape 
Fear  River  as  the  natural  gateway  to  Middle  and  Western  North 
Carolina,  and  because  Fayetteville,  situated  at  the  head  of  naviga- 
tion on  the  Cape  Fear  far  in  the  interior,  just  as  Richmond  is 
situated  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  James,  is  the  key  to  the 
problem  of  placing  the  interior  cities  of  North  Carolina  on  equal 
terms  with  the  interior  cities  of  Virginia. 


I  will  now  endeavor  to  give  you  a  brief  history  of  the  efforts 
referred  to  and  of  their  origin,  and  a  somewhat  philosophic  presen- 
tation of  the  reason  why  its  completion  will  "prevent  freight  dis- 
criminations  against  North   Carolina." 

As  the  circumstances  make  it  necessary  for  me  to  recite  a 
number  of  personal  experiences,  you  will  pardon  this  feature  of 
my  paper. 


In  the  Colonial  Records  of  North  Carolina,  we  find  the  Governor 
of  North  Carolina,  sitting  in  Council  at  Wilmington,  appointing 
committees  charged  with  the   duty  of  fixing  upon  a  point,  at   or 


the  Cape  Fear  River 73 


near  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Cape  Fear  River,  which  should 
be  the  receiving  and  distributing  point  for  the  trade  of  the  "Back 
Provinces."  Those  effoits  led  to  the  choice  of  the  settlement  at 
Campbellton  as  such  a  point,  because  of  the  convergence  at  Cross 
Creek,  a  mile  off,  of  the  great  wagon  roads  from  the  back  country— 
the  vast  territory  now  comprised  in  Middle  and  Western  North 
Carolina  and  parts  of  Virginia,  Tennessee  and  Kentucky.  Fayette- 
ville,  for  some  years  after  the  Revolution  the  seat  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  North  Carolina,  v  as  the  result  of  the  union  of  Cross  Creek 
and  Campbellton  in  1782. 

In  1813,  Robert  Fulton— the  same  who  first  demonstrated  the 
practicability  of  propelling  vessels  by  steam— selected  the  Cape 
Fear  as  one  of  the  leading  American  rivers  in  his  scheme  for  the 
development  of  our  waterways.  His  idea  was  that  the  improve- 
ment of  the  Upper  Cape  Fear  was  necessary  to  the  proper  develop- 
ment of  a  large  part  of  the  Southern  back  country. 

In  1817,  the  steamboat  Henrietta  was  built  near  Fayetteville, 
and  began  her  service  of  over  forty  years  between  Fayetteville  and 
Wilmington.  Deforestation  had  not  then  taken  place  at  the  head- 
waters of  the  river;  her  trips  were  regular;  and  she  often  made 
them  in  less  than  ten  hours  between  the  two  towns. 

On  January  26,  1881,  the  United  States  Government  bought 
up  the  stock  of  the  Cape  Fear  Navigation  Company,  a  corporation 
chartered  by  the  State  alter  the  Revolution  (1789)  for  the  purpose 
of  keeping  navigation  open  to  Fayetteville;  made  Fayetteville  a 
port  of  entry;  and  assumed  the  duty,  which  had  devolved  upon  the 
Navigation  Company,  of  keeping  the  river  open  at  all  seasons.  This 
it  sought  to  accomplish  by  a  system  of  jetties,  which  were  in- 
tended to  arrest  the  effect  of  deforestation;    but  its  efforts  were 

ineffectual. 

****** 

On  September  8,  1899,  I  published  an  editorial  in  The  Observer 
calling  attention  to  the  failure  of  the  government's  jetty  system  on 
the  Cape  Fear;  describing  the  more  scientific  treatment  of  water- 
ways in  EJurope,  where  the  pressure  of  population  rendered  such 
a  method  necessary;  and  suggesting  the  adoption  by  us  of  the  plan 
employed  on  the  Weser. 

In  common  with  other  students  of  our  commercial  history,  I 
recognized  the  fact  that  this  river  had  been  the  gateway  to  the 
regions  mentioned  up  to  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  1861,  and 
that  the  end  of  the  war  had  found  Wilmington,  and  especially 
Fayetteville,  prostrate  upder  its  effects.  I  also  knew,  along  with 
others,  that  this  prostration,  common  to  all  the  South,  appeared 
to   be  less  remediable   in  our  case  than  in   that   of  the   seaboard 


74  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of  

towns  of  neighboring  States.  And  I  had  advanced  to  the  point  of 
realizing  that  this  disability  was  immediately  attributable  to  the 
circumstance  that  the  exigencies  of  the  Confederate  Government 
had  introduced  the  novelty  of  through  trains  on  the  North-and- 
South-goiug  railways  which  intersected  our  diverging  wagon  roads; 
that  the  manifest  advantage  of  running  through  trains,  once  the 
Confederacy  had  cut  the  knot,  caused  them  to  become  a  fixture  in 
transportation;  and  that  this  led  to  the  establishment  of  other 
traffic  terminals.  But  the  question  remained:  Why  should  the 
new  system  have  operated  so  completely  to  the  disadvantage  of 
North  Carolina? 

The  engineering  treatment  of  the  Weser  and  the  commercial 
treatment  of  the  Manchester  case,  would,  if  combined,  solve  our 
Cape  Fear  problem.  But  the  fact  was  recallel  that,  even  before 
the  war,  North  Carolina  had  been  called  "a  strip  of  land  between 
two  States" — a  gibe  which,  considering  our  achievements  in  war 
and  in  peace,  necessarily  had  reference  to  our  commercial  attain- 
ments, which  were  inferior  to  those  of  our  neighbors.  The  next 
step  followed  naturally — a  study  of  the  map  of  our  seacoast.  This 
revealed  the  geographical  peculiarity  which  distinguishes  us:  our 
jutting  sealine  which  culminates  in  the  proboscis  of  Hatteras  and 
recedes  thence  to  the  re-entrant  angle  in  which  New  York  lies,  on 
the  North,  and  to  the  somewhat  similar  angle  in  which  Savannah 
lies,  on  the  South.  A  glance  at  the  map  will  show  that  the  normal 
coast  line  would  be  a  strf.ight  line  from  New  York  to  Savannah. 

A  normal  coast  line  would  mean  normal  ports,  wherever  ports 
might  exist  along  Its  lergth.  Ports,  for  the  purposes  of  this  dem- 
onstration, may  be  divided  into  three  classes:  the  normal  port; 
the  abnormal,  or  less  desirable  port;  and  the  Ideal  port. 

It  is  self-evident  thac  the  traffic  influences  of  any  port,  other 
things  being  equal,  extends  throughout  the  territory  included 
between  lines  drawn  at  right  angles  across  the  mideway  points  of 
air-lines  from  it  to  the  ports  on  either  side  of  it.  In  the  case  of 
the  normal  port,  these  right-angle  lines  would  remain  parallel,  and 
its  traffic  influence  would  be  precisely  that  of  its  neighbors.  In  the 
case  of  the  abnormal  port,  the  right-angle  lines  would  converge, 
and  its  traffic  influence  would  be  less  than  that  of  its  neighbors, 
and  in  degree  proportionate  to  the  rapidity  of  the  convergence.  In 
the  case  of  the  ideal  port,  the  right-angle  lines  would  diverge,  and 
its  traffic  influence  woulc  exceed  that  of  its  neighbors,  and  in 
degree  proportionate  to  the  rapidity  of  the  divergence. 

Apply  these  self-evident  rules  to  New  York — where  the  traffic 
antennae  spread  out  like  the  ribs  of  a.  fan — and  the  cause  of  the 
growth  of  that  great  pori:  is  apparent.     Apply  them  to  Hatteras,  or 


the  Cape  Fear  River  75 


to  all  of  the  coast  line  of  Norh  Carolina — which,  as  you  will  see, 
lies  far  East  of  the  normal  coast  line — and  we  have  the  explanation 
of  the  gibe  referred  to. 

I  presented  the  foregoing  to  the  North  Carolina  Legislature  of 
1901,  and  instantly  secured  unanimous  endorsement  of  the  scheme 
for  canalizing  the  Cape  Fear  to  Fayetteville;  and  secured  a  like 
endorsement  when  it  was  asked  for  afterwards,  namely,  at  the 
hands  of  the  Legislatures  of  1905  and  1907.  The  same  presentation 
secured  the  adoption  of  the  scheme  by  Congress,  in  1901  and  1902. 

The  scheme  then  adopted — which  is  the  existing  one — called 
for  three  movable  dams,  similar  to  those  used  on  the  Kanawaha 
River,  with  a  lift  of  9  fee^  each,  the  whole  to  cost  $1,320,000.  It  was 
after  a  memorable  struggle  that  the  bill  for  this  purpose  was 
reported  favorably  by  the  Senate  and  House  conference  committee 
in  the  Spring  of  1901,  and  $150,000  named  as  the  amount  for 
beginning  work.  As  you  will  recall,  no  doubt,  that  was  the  bill 
which  Senator  Carter,  of  Montana,  "talked  to  death"  in  the  closing 
hours  of  that  Congress.  Taking  advantage  of  this  respite,  the 
hostile  Interests — presumably  the  railroads  whose  discriminatory 
rates  would  be  so  radically  affected  by  the  completion  of  this  great 
North  Carolina  work — bi  ought  enormous  pressure  to  bear  to  pre- 
vent the  inclusion  of  this  item  in  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill  of 
the  next  Congress.  It  was  defeated  in  the  House,  but  passed  the 
Senate;  and,  after  a  titanic  struggle  in  the  conference  committee 
of  Senate  and  House,  was  reported  favorably,  and  beacme  a  law, 
April,  1902.  In  the  struggle  alluded  to  Senator  Berry,  of  Arkansas, 
one  of  the  six  conferees,  gained  the  lasting  gratitude  of  North 
Carolina.  He  had  mastered  the  proposition  presented  by  us,  as 
otulined  above;  saw  that  it  was  the  crux  of  the  problem  of  giving 
North  Carolina  "equal  opportunity"  with  her  neighbors  in  the 
matter  of  freight  rates;  and  won  the  day  by  declaring  that  he 
would  hold  up  the  whole  Rivers  and  Harbors  bill  unless  this  item 
was  included. 

In  this  connection,  it  is  to  be  noted,  as  described  above,  that 
three  "lifts"  of  9  feet  each,  or  but  27  feet,  is  required  for  the 
giving  of  8  feet  above  tide-water  at  Fayetteville,  150  miles  distant 
from  the  sea  by  the  river.  No  other  river  presents  such  a  feature 
as  this  for  reaching  our  back  country.  Locks  and  dams,  and  canals 
where  needed,  can  reach  any  part  of  North  Carolina;  but  by  no 
other  route  can  the  interior  be  approached  economically,  the  great 
number  of  locks  necessary  to  make  the  ascent  rendering  the  cost 
prohibitory 


i^6  tti^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 


$50,000  was  appropriated  by  the  Act  of  1902  for  the  purchase  of 
sites  for  the  locks  and  Gams.  From  that  time  up  to  1907,  the  appro- 
priations for  rivers  and  harbors  averaged  but  19  millions  per  year, 
a  sum  hardly  sufficient  U.  prevent  loss,  by  decay  and  otherwise,  in 
existing  works.  The  Ri\ers  and  Harbors  bill  was  looked  upon  with 
disfavor  by  the  great  body  of  the  people,  being  generally  described 
as  a  "pork  barrel,"  and  Congress  feared  to  act  even  in  the  direction 
of  meritorious  projects  of  this  nature.  A  movement  was  begun  in 
the  Autumn  of  1901  to  eulighten  the  people  and  arouse  them  to  a 
comprehension  of  the  huge  loss  they  were  suffering  because  of  our 
backwardness,  as  compared  with  the  European  nations,  in  water- 
way development.  A  great  convention  was  held  at  Baltimore  in 
September  of  that  year,  and  the  Governor  of  North  Carolina  com- 
missioned me  as  the  representative  from  the  State.  Mr.  Small- 
bones  headed  a  small  delegation  from  the  Wilmington  Chamber 
of  Commerce.  The  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  was 
formed  then,  and  I  was  made  one  of  the  seven  directors — a  position 
to  which  I  have  been  re-elected  at  each  Convention  since,  though 
opposed  by  powerful  interests  on  several  occasions. 

The  efforts  of  this  body  were  successful  in  the  highest  degree; 
and,  after  six  years  of  agitation  by  it  throughout  the  country,  from 
ocean  to  ocean,  and  from  the  Canadian  to  the  Mexican  border,  the 
people  became  so  aroused  that  Congress  signified  its  recognition  of 
the  popular  demand  by  passing  the  bill  of  1907,  carrying  the  unpre- 
cedented appropriation  of  87  millions  of  dollars  for  rivers  and 
harbors.    ***** 


I  think  you  will  be  able  to  see  from  the  foregoing  how  readily 
the  present  discrimination  in  freight  rates  against  our  State  can 
be  prevented.  It  is  by  the  application  of  the  doctrine  that,  as  all 
forces  proceed  along  the  line  of  least  resistance,  so,  sooner  or  later, 
all  freights  will  seek  the  nearest  route  to  or  from  an  adequate  port. 
An  interesting  coincidence  in  this  connection  is  worth  recording. 
Before  Fulton  began  his  experiments  with  steamboats  in  America, 
or  had  suggested  reaching  our  back  country  by  improvement  of 
the  Upper  Cape  Fear,  he  was  employed  by  the  Duke  of  Bridge- 
water  as  engineer  of  the  old  canal  from  Manchester  to  Liverpool. 
It  was  the  grandson  of  that  Duke,  the  present  Earl  Egerton  of 
Tatton,  who  first  put  me  in  the  way  of  applying  to  the  Cape  Fear 
the  doctrine  by  which  he  won  a  charter  for  his  greater  canal  from 
the  British  Parliament,  against  the  powerful  influence  of  the 
British  railroads. 

This  doctrine  of  Lord  Egerton  was  the  basis,  as  I  have  already 


the  Cape  Fear  River  77 


said,  of  our  winning  fight  before  Congress  in  1901  and  1902.  It 
is  destined  to  be  the  rule  for  the  regulation  of  interstate  as  w^l 
as  intrastate  commerce;  for  Chairman  Burton,  of  the  Rivers  and 
Harbors  Committee  of  tht  House  of  Representatives,  in  his  great 
speech  before  the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress,  last  De- 
cember, declared  that  the  object  of  legitimate  waterways  improve- 
ment is  to  supply  "equal  opportunity  to  all."  Applied  to  interstate, 
or  intrastate,  commerce  by  rail,  that  means  equal  charges  per  ton 
per  mile  for  like  shipments.  But  recent  decisions  of  the  Interstate 
Commerce  Commission— discriminating  against  our  Southern  mills 
in  favor  of  those  of  New  England  in  their  quest  of  Oriental  trade, 
though  the  distance  is  less  from  the  Southern— indicate  that  the 
national  commission  has  not  yet  brought  itself  to  Mr.  Burton's  just 
standard.  As  our  State  commission  has  already  done  so,  it  will  be 
apparent  how  very  important  is  the  completion  of  a  project  which 
will  place  the  regulation  of  North  Carolina  freights  in  the  hands  of 
North  Carolina. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  it  is  not  the  water  competition  at  the  Nor- 
folk "gateway"  which  is  responsible  for  the  discrimination  against 
North  Carolina.  We  already  have  the  splendid  port  of  Wilmington 
which  our  "Special  Director,"  Mr.  Fox,  in  his  tour  of  Middle  and 
Western  North  Carolina  last  October,  pointed  out  was  nearer  to 
these  regions  than  Norfolk.  So  great,  indeed,  is  the  traffic  influence 
of  Wilmington-and  we  expect  to  greatly  increase  that  by  deeper 
water  from  there  to  the  sea-that  even  now  it  ranks  fourth  among 
the  cotton  ports.  It  is  not  Norfolk,  but  the  up-the-river  port  of 
Richmond,  standing  back  of  Norfolk,  which  is  the  governing  factor 
Only  a  glance  at  the  map  is  needed  to  show  that  It  is,  correlatively 
the  up-the-river  port  of  Fayettevilie  which  alone  can  intercept  the 
traffic  routes  of  Richmond  by  shorter  lines. 

The  Fayettevilie  project  can  be  completed,  working  night  and 
day,  in  six  months.  Our  North  Carolina  Waterways  Association  is 
pledged  to  work  for  its  Immediate  completion.  It  is  also  pledged 
to  the  completion  of  the  project  for  30  feet  of  water  from  the  sea 
to  Wilmington  at  the  earliest  moment  possible,  and  it  has  heartily 
endorsed  the  interstate  Inland  Waterway.  By  them  the  Fayette- 
vilie gateway  will  be  greatly  assisted— by  the  former,  in  the 
advantage  of  the  enlarged  commerce  which  deeper  drafted  ships 
will  bring  to  the  Cape  Fear;  by  the  latter,  in  the  establishment  of 
a  barge  route  from  Boston  to  Fayettevilie. 


I  appeal  to  you,  gentlemen,  and  especially  you  of  Middle  and 
Western  North  Carolina,  to  exert  your  powerful  influence  in  behalf 


78  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

of  the  Upper  Cape  Pear  gateway;  for  Congress  will  listen  to  you. 
Do  not  neglect  the  Wilmington  and  the  Beaufort  projects,  hut  turn 
your  heaviest  guns  to  the  assistance  of  the  Upper  Cape  Fear;  for  no 
one  is  fighting  the  former.  Hammer  away  at  this  in  your  editorials 
from  now  until  victory  is  won,  for  there  is  nothing  comparable  to 
this  In  importance  to  our  State.  Based  on  an  estimate  by  the 
Corporation  Commission  of  the  tonnage  on  one  of  our  principal 
railway-systems  divertible  to  the  Fayetteville  route  when  com- 
pleted, over  6  million  tons  of  freight  per  annum  is  involved.  What 
a  huge  sum  would  be  saved  to  us  at  but  one  dollar  per  ton! 
(See  map  and  description  appended  to  Exhibit  A  above.) 


the  Cape  fear  Rivef  79 


VI. 

VISIT    OF    THE    NATIONAL    WATERWAYS 

COMMISSION  TO  FAYETTEVILLE 

FEBRUARY  1,  1910. 


(From  Fayetteville  Daily  Observer,  February  1  ,1910.) 
THE   NATIONAL  WATERWAYS  COMMISSION. 


Fayetteville  extends  a  hearty  welcome  to  the  distinguished 
gentlemen  who  compose  the  visiting  committee  of  the  United  States 
National  Waterways  Commission,  who  arrived  in  Fayetteville  today 
and  who  are  engaged  in  the  inspection  of  the  Upper  Cape  Fear 
River  and  of  the  engineering  features  of  the  State's  great  canaliza- 
tion project. 

The  visit  of  these  gentlemen  is  noteworthy  in  several  respects. 
In  the  first  place,  it  is  a  compliment  to  Senator  Simmons,  an 
influential  member  both  of  the  Commission  and  of  the  Senate 
Committee  on  Commerce,  in  the  respect  that  this  is  the  first  tour  of 
inspection  which  the  Commission  has  made  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard 
and  the  only  one  since  itt:  creation,  with  exception  of  their  tour  of 
the  Mississippi  before  Congress  met.  The  circumstance  that  this 
trip  is  taken  in  the  midst  of  the  rush  of  a  session  of  Congress, 
adds  to  its  significance.  In  the  next  place,  it  is,  we  take  it,  an, 
expression  of  the  awakened  understanding  of  the  vital  importance 
of  this  great  project  to  tht  State  of  North  Carolina,  and  of  the  fact 
that  our  geographical  peculiarities  and  commercial  history  cause 
this  to  differ  from  all  other  river  propositions  offered  to  the 
government. 

Another  interesting  feature  of  this  occasion  is  the  prominent 
part  which  Fayetteville  has  taken  in  the  founding  and  promotion  of 
the  National  Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress;  and,  we  imagine,  it  van 
be  properly  said  that  the  public  sentiment  aroused  by  that  body  led 


80  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

to  the  creation  of  the  United  States  National  Waterways  Com- 
mission, which  is  the  highest  authority  on  the  great  interests 
entrusted  to  it. 

Following  are  the  members  of  the  Commission: 

Senator  T.  E.  Burton,  of  Ohio; 

Senator  J.  H.  Gallinger,  of  New  Hampshire; 

Senator  S.  F.  Piles,  oj:  Washington; 

Senator  Wm.  A.  Smith,  of  Michigan; 

Senator  F.  M.  Simmons,  of  North  Carolina; 

Senator  J.  P.  Clarke,  of  Arkansas; 

Senator  William  Lorimer,  of  Illinois; 

Representative   D.    S.    Alexander,   of   New   York; 

Representative  F.  C.  Stevens,  of  Minnesota; 

Representative  I.   P.  Wanger,   of  Pennsylvania; 

Representative  S.  M.  Sparkman,  of  Florida; 

Representative  John  A.  Moon,  of  Tennessee. 


Of  th«  above,  the  following  gentlemen  compose  the  committee 
who  are  Fayetteville's  guests  today: 

Senator  Piles,  Senator  Smith,  Senator  Simmons,  Senator  Clarke, 
Representative  Stevens  and  Representative  Wanger. 

While  the  National  Waterways  Commission  is  the  highest  au- 
thority on  the  subjects  entrusted  to  its  consideration,  the  final 
judgment  (in  practice)  rests  with  the  committees  of  the  two  Houses 
having  charge  of  the  framing  of  the  bills  for  rivers  and  harbors, 
the  Committee  on  Commerce  in  the  Senate,  and  the  Rivers  and 
Harbors  Committee  in  the  House.  The  visiting  Senators  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Committee  on  Commerce,  and  the  visiting  Representa- 
tives of  the  Rivers  and  Harbors  Committee. 

Fayetteville  has  had  a  notable  experience  in  the  number  and 
character  of  distinguished  persons  who  have  been  her  guests  from 
time  to  time,  and  those  who  honor  her  with  their  presence  today 
make  a  most  gratifying  addition  to  her  record  in  this  regard. 


(From  Fayetteville  Daily  Observer,  February  2,  1910.) 
THE  VISIT  OF  1  HE  WATERWAYS  COMIVIISSION. 

The  Presence  of  the  Distinguished  Statesmen  an  Event  of  Great 
Import — All  Fayetteville  and  Cumberland  United  For 
Progress. 

The  visit  to  Fayetteville  yesterday  of  the  sub-committee  of  the 


the  Cape  Fear  River  81 


United  States  National  Waterways  Commission,  in  itself  an  event 
of  the  greatest  importance,  brought  about  results  that  mean  a  united 
people  of  Fayetteville  and  Cumberland  county,  for  the  future  prog- 
ress and  development  of  this  great  section  of  the  State,  of  which 
Fayetteville  Is  the  metropolis. 

It  was  also  a  day  fraught  with  great  things  for  the  State  of 
North  Carolina,  as  was  so  eloquently  expressed  by  Governor 
Kitchin  in  his  speech  oi  welcome  to  the  visitors. 

In  responding  to  the  Governors  welcome.  Senators  Simmons, 
Piles  and  Clarke  and  Congressman  Wanger,  gave  great  hope  and 
inspiration  to  our  people. 

Trip   Down  The   River. 

The  visitors  returned  from  the  fifteen  mile  trip  down  the  Cape 
Fear  shortly  before  six  c  clock,  all  expressing  themselves  as  greatly 
impressed  with   North   Carolina's  principal  river. 

The   Dinner. 

At  8:30  o'clock  the  members  of  the  Commission  were  enter- 
tained at  a  magnificent  dinner  at  the  LaFayette.  It  was  one  of  the 
most  notable  events  that  has  taken  place  in  this  State,  and  we 
doubt  if  such  a  splendid  dinner  was  ever  served  within  her  borders. 

Major  Hale,  President  of  the  Upper  Cape  Fear  Improvement 
Association,  presided.  On  his  right  were  Senator  Clarke,  of  Arkan- 
sas, and  Representative  Wanger,  of  Pennsylvania.  On  his  left, 
Senator  Piles,  of  Washington,  Senator  Simmons,  of  North  Carolina, 
and  His  Excellency  Governor  Kitchin.  Rev.  Dr.  J.  J.  Hall,  Capt. 
Earl  I.  Brown,  United  States  Army;  Mr.  Wade  H.  Harris,  E'Mtor  of 
The  Charlotte  Observer;  Assistant  United  States  Engineer  Merritt 
and  Col.  A.  D.  Watts,  were  the  other  honored  guests  sitting  at 
the  cross  table. 

Besides  the  guests  of  honor,  those  present  at  the  dinner  were: 

Anderson,  J.  H.;  Armfield,  J.  F.  L..;  Broadfoot,  C.  W.;  Blount, 
W.  F.;  Boyd,  J.  R.;  Beattie,  W.  J.,  Jr.;  Bullard,  Mayor  V.  C;  Cook, 
H.  L.;  Currie,  J.  H.;  Culbreth,  J.  H.;  Cooper,  C.  J.;  Cooper,  S.  W.; 
Clark,  Dr.  F.  S.;  Dixon,  A.  E.;  Ellington,  J.  O.;  Gaster,  David;  Hale, 
E.  J.;  Hale,  L.  B.;  Harrison,  R.  G.;  Hawley,  W.  L.;  Home,  H.  R.; 
Huske,  B.  R.;  Highsmith.  Dr.  J.  F.;  Jennings,  E.  H.;  Lilly,  Dr.  H. 
W.;  Lyon.  Terry;  McAlister,  C.  C;  McCaskill,  A.  L.;  McDiarmid,  W. 
J.;  McKethan,  E.  R.;  McKethan,  Alfred;  McMillan,  Allen;  McDuffle, 
R.  H.;  McNeill,  George;  Murchison,  I.  A.;  Mills,  J.  A.;  Moore,  J.  A.; 
Newton,  J.  Sprunt;    Poe,  E.  A.;   Rose,  F.  R.;   Robinson,  H.  McD.; 


82 Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

Rose,  C.  G.;  Stedman,  F.  H.;  Shaw,  J.  G.;  Slocomb,  A.  H.;  Schenck, 
J.  Sliiifulon;  Sinclair,  N.  A.;  Shuford,  M.  F.;  Tolar,  John  R.;  Under- 
wood, John;  Underwood.  J.  B.;  Williamson,  L.  A.;  Williamson, 
Banks. 

It  Was  A  Great  Day. 

The  wave  of  progress  inaugurated  by  the  paving  of  the  streets 
which  in  turn  has  set  the  people  of  the  county  to  bestir  themselves 
in  behalf  of  good  roads,  reached  its  climax  in  last  night's  wonderful 
demonstration.  The  leading  citizens  of  the  town  and  county  con- 
stituting the  very  backbone  of  the  community,  and  who  were 
present  are  rejoicing  over  last  week's  big  events. 


the  Cape  Fear  River  83 


VII. 

POPULAR  SUBSCRIPTIONS  IN  AID  OF 

THE  PROJECT. 


The  Fayetteville  Observer  of  December  6,  1907,  contained  the 
annual  report  of  Secretary  P.  R.  Rose,  for  1907,  in  which  he  said: 

"At  this  meeting,  {.lanuary,  1907,)  the  Chamber  appointed  a, 
committee  to  raise  a  fund  of  $300.00  to  aid  the  splendid  work  of 
the  River  and  Harbor  Congress,  of  which  our  distinguished  mem- 
ber, Major  E.  J.  Hale,  is  a  director  and  prominent  officer.  I  regret 
to  say  that  from  various  causes,  this  matter  was  neglected  until 
Major  Hale  (a  co-operating  member  of  the  committee)  took  it  in 
hand  himself — his  efforts  resulting  in  raising  $500.00  instead  of 
$300.00.  I  am  glad  to  say,  however,  that  members  of  this  Cham- 
ber were  conspicuous  among  the  contributors  to  this  very  impor- 
tant fund." 


The  Observer  of  February  14,  1910,  contained  a  list  of  those 
who  had  made  money  ccntributions  in  aid  of  the  promotion  of  the 
project,   as  follows; 

Armfield,  J.  F.  L.,  $25.00;  Atkinson,  H.  C,  $2.00;  Anderson, 
.1.  H.,  $13.00;  Ashley-Bailey  Co.,  $25.00;  Broadfoot,  C.  W.,  $20.00; 
BuUard,  V.  C,  $1.00;  Eevill  &  Vanstory,  $10.00;  Blount,  W.  P., 
$10.00;  Culbreth,  J,  H.  &  Co.,  $25.00;  Cooper,  C.  J.,  $25.00;  Cooper,' 
Sol.  W.,  $25.00;  Clark,  Dr.  Franklin  S.,  $20.00;  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
$225.00;  Carolina  Grocery  Co.,  $5.00;  Cook,  H.  L.,  $10.00;  Cum- 
berland, County  of,  $300.00;  Ellington,  J.  O.,  $15.00;  Polb,  Mike. 
$5.00;  Fayetteville  Ice  &  Mfg.  Co.,  $20.00;  Fayetteville,  City  of,, 
$300.00;  Green,  W.  J.,  $10.00;  Georgia  Pine  Turpentine  Co.,  $20.00;' 
Hale,  E.  J.,  $1,498.95;  Harrison,  J.  P.,  $25.00;  Huske  Hardware 
House,  $25.00;  Hedgpeth  Brothers,  $2.00;  Home,  H.  R.  &  Sons, 
$35.00;  Hawley,  W.  L.,  $6.00;  Hollingsworth,  J.  W.,  $8.00;  Holt- 
Morgan  Mill,  $35.00;  Holt  Williamson  Mill,  $30.00;  Highsmith,  Dr. 
J.  F.,  $5.00;  Judd,  Dr.  .T.  H.,  $1.00;  Lilly,  Dr.  H.  W.,  $45.00;  Lamb, 
J.  M.  &   Sons,  $5.00;    MacKethan,  E.  R.,  $4.00;    MacKethan,  A.  A., 


84 Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

?25.00;  McNeill,  W.  D.,  $5.00;  Murchison,  I.  A.,  $5.00;  Martin- 
McKethan  Co.,  $5.00  McDiarmid,  W.  J.  Co.,  $20.00;  McNeill,  Dr.  J. 
W.,  $5.00  McMillan  Brothers,  $10.00;  Matthews,  M.  McL,  $5.00; 
McCaskill,  A.  L.,  $5.00;  McAlister,  C.  C,  $5.00;  McKethan,  Dr.  D. 
G.,  $2.00;  Nimocks,  Q.  K.,  $5.00;  Newton,  J.  Sprunt,  $5.00;  Gates, 
J.  A.,  $5.00;  Observer  Linotype  Department,  $5.00;  Prior,  Warren 
&  Sons,  $5  00;  Prior,  Major  J.  N.,  $5.50;  Poe,  E.  A.,  $5.00;  Rose, 
F.  R.,  $25.00;  Ray,  D.  H..  $25.00;  Russell,  C,  S.,  $10.00;  Robinson, 
H.  McD.,  $10.00;  Rankin,  A.  E.  &  Co.,  $15.00;  Smith,  W.  F.,  $25.00; 
Sinclair,  N.  A.,  $15.00;  Stedman,  F.  H.,  $25.00;  Shuford-Rogers  & 
Co.,  $10.00;  Sedberry,  H.  S.,  $5.00;  Sheetz's  Sons,  $5.00;  Souders' 
Pharmacy,  $5.00;  Shaw,  J  G.,  $5.00;  Smith,  Hunter  G.,  $5.00;  State 
Realty  &  Insurance  Co.,  $5.00;  Tolar-Hart-Holt  Mills,  $25.00;  Tolar, 
J.  R.,  $10.00;  Underwood,  J.  B.,  $10.00;  Underwood,  John,  $5.00. 
Total,  $3,213.45. 

Compiler's  note:  The  above  represents  the  money  subscribed 
or  paid  for  sundry  specific  purposes,  and  is  given  as  evidence  of  the 
good  will  exhibited  by  our  people.  The  cost  of  promotion  other- 
wise, however,  was  much  larger.  This  was  borne  by  Major  Hale; 
and,  including  his  payments  above  given  and  his  payments  from 
Costa  Rica  of  Fayetteviile's  dues  ($100  per  annum)  to  the  National 
Rivers  and  Harbors  Congress  for  our  Upper  Cape  Fear  Improve- 
ment Association,  it  has  amounted  to  over  five  thousand  dollars. 
A  part  was  borrowed  by  him,  and  he  has  just  now  (May,  1917.) 
paid  off  the  last  of  it. 


the  Cape  Fear  River  85 


VIII. 
APPRECIATION  OF  THE  WORK. 


(Fayetteville  Daily  Observer,  February  25,  1914.) 

Ttie  banquet  given  by  the  Fayetteville  Chamber  of  Commerce 
last  night,  in  F.  I.  L.  I   armory,  was  splendid  and  most  successful. 

*     *     *     ^i     *     * 

Following  is  a  list  ot  those  speaking:  Maj.  H.  W.  Stickle,  U.  S. 
engineer  in  charge  of  the  canaliztion  of  Cape  Fear  River;  Col.  Fred 
A.  Olds,  of  Raleigh;  Mr.  B.  E.  Rice,  agricultural  agent  of  the  Norfolk 
Southern  Railway;  Mr.  Bion  H.  Butler,  of  Southern  Pines,  editor, 
agricultural  writer  and  farmer;  Mr.  Hubert  Ramsaur,  secretary  and 
organizer  of  the  State  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  Mayor  Underwood. 

Major  H.  W.  Stickle,  the  first  speaker,  was  introduced  by  Toast- 
master  McAlister.  Major  Stickle's  subject  was  "The  Canalization 
of  the  Cape  Fear  River  and  Its  Benefits."  He  handled  his  subject 
well,  and  interspersed  valuable  information  and  practical  sugges- 
tions with  some  mighty  good  anecdotes  and  much  fine  wit.  He 
said  that  Elbert  Hubbard  claimed  that  transportation  was  the  second 
greatest  thing  on  earth,  but  he  did  not  explain  what  was  the  greatest 
thing.  Transportation  is  a  great  thing,  said  the  speaker.  It  is 
the  connecting  link  between  agriculture  and  commerce.  And  water 
transportation  is  the  most  important.  But  transportation  to  be  use- 
ful must  be  permanent,  and  after  a  water  channel  has  been  estab- 
lished it  should  be  utilized.  That  it  was  up  to  Fayetteville  and  the 
Cape  Fear  section  to  make  the  most  of  the  canalization  of  the  Cape 
Fear  River,  which  would  assuredly  give  a  minimum  depth  of  eight 
feet  the  year  round  and  would  amazingly  develop  the  farming  lands 
along  the  river.  Nature  has  been  lavish  in  her  gifts  of  water  to 
North  Carolina,  and  chief  among  that  water  power  is  Cape  Fear 
River.  Major  Stickle  paid  a  high  compliment  to  Major  Hale,  as 
the  originator  of  the  canalization  project  and  the  man  who  stoutly 
fought  for  it  until  he  will  in  a  short  time  be  gratified  at  seeing  its 
completion.  That  this  project  of  Major  Hale  had  been  followed  by 
another — the   inland   waterway — ^which  would   do  much    to   reduce 


86  Hi^ory  of  the  Canalization  of 

rates.  The  speaker  said  that  the  first  lock  in  the  river  would  have 
a  lift  of  eight  feet  and  the  second  a  lift  of  12  feet;  that  each  would 
be  40  feet  wide,  and  would  permit  the  passage  of  vessels  200  feet 
long.  He  said  that  on  completion  of  the  work,  the  surface  of  the 
water  at  this  point  would  be  so  slight  as  not  to  be  noticeable — only 
about  6  inches.  The  speaker  said  that  the  transportation  of  freight 
on  Cape  Pear  River  in  3  906  was  136,000  tons,  valued  at  $3,600,000, 
while  in  1912  it  was  213,000  tons,  valued  at  $5,000,000,  an  increase 
within  six  years  of  39  per  cent. 


(Fayetteville  Daily  Observer,   May  14,   1915.) 

CITY    GOVERNMENT    THANKS    MINISTER    HALE    FOR    CAPE 

FEAR    CANALIZATION. 


RESOLUTIONS. 

Whereas,  our  distinguished  townsman.  Major  E.  J.  Hale,  United 
States  Minister  to  Costa  Rica,  is  now  in  our  city  on  a  brief  vacation, 
and 

Whereas,  we  desire  to  express  our  esteem  for  him  and  our 
appreciation  of  his  valuable  public  services  and  to  welcome  him 
back  to  our  native  city;  therefore,  Be  it  Resolved  by  the  Mayor  and 
Board  of  Aldermen  of  the  City  of  Fayetteville, 

First,  That  to  Major  E.  J.  Hale,  the  diplomat  and  patriot,  we 
the  puWic  representatives  of  his  old  neighbors,  extend  a  hearty 
welcome  to  our  city. 

Second,  That  we  take  this  occasion  to  thank  him  for  the  untir- 
ing efforts  he  devoted  to  the  canalization  of  the  Cape  Pear  River, 
now  nearing  completion,  and  to  express  the  hope  that  he  may  be 
present  to  rejoice  with  us  in  the  celebration  of  that  auspicious 
«vent. 

Third,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  spread  upon  our 
minutes  and  the  City  Clerk  be  instructed  to  present  a  copy  to 
Major  E.  J.  Hale. 

Adopted  May  12,  1915 

H.  J.  McBUIE.  City  Clerk.  JOHN  C.  GIBBS,  Mayor. 


(Fayetteville  Daily  Observer,  May  13,  1915.) 
CELEBRATION  OF  CANALIZATION  OF  CAPE  FEAR  RIVER. 
At  the  banquet  last  evening  given  to  Minister  Hale,  on  motion 
of  Mr.  John  Underwood  and  a  unanimous  vote  of  the  company  as- 
sembled, an  organization  for  celebration  of  the  completion  of  canal- 
ization of  Cape  Pear  River  was  formed  with  Dr.  Franklin  S.  Clark  as 
Chairman  and  Solicitor  A.  B.  Breece  as  Secretary  and  Treasurer. 


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